CVE-2007-3784 in F5D7231-4
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Belkin G Plus Router F5D7231-4 with firmware 4.05.03 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a hostname of a DHCP client.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2018
The CVE-2007-3784 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Belkin G Plus Router F5D7231-4 devices running firmware version 4.05.03. This vulnerability resides within the router's web-based management interface and specifically targets how the device processes hostname information from DHCP clients. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of other users' browser sessions, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive network information or complete compromise of the router's administrative functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the router's web interface. When a DHCP client connects to the network, the router's firmware captures and displays the client's hostname in the web management interface without proper sanitization of user-supplied input. This creates an ideal environment for cross-site scripting attacks where an attacker can craft a malicious hostname containing embedded script code that gets executed when other users view the affected web page. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically affects the router's user interface rendering process, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through legitimate network traffic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with potential access to the router's administrative interface and sensitive network configuration data. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to the router's management functions, potentially leading to complete network compromise. The threat landscape is particularly concerning because the vulnerability does not require authentication to exploit, making it accessible to anyone within the network's broadcast range or through network reconnaissance. This aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage in web-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from Belkin to address the input validation flaws in the router's web interface. Network administrators should also implement additional security measures including network segmentation to isolate critical network components, monitoring for suspicious DHCP activity, and implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization in embedded web interfaces and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of network device firmware. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls and regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in other network infrastructure components. This vulnerability underscores the critical need for robust security practices in IoT and network device management, particularly in environments where administrative interfaces are exposed to untrusted network traffic.