CVE-2013-3097 in FIOS Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Verizon FIOS Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I router.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/13/2024
The CVE-2013-3097 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Verizon FIOS Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I router firmware, highlighting significant security weaknesses in consumer-grade networking equipment. This vulnerability resides within the web-based management interface of the router, which is commonly accessed by users to configure network settings and monitor device status. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability description suggests that the exact code path or input validation failure was not fully disclosed in the initial reporting, but the implications for network security are severe given that the router serves as the primary gateway between home networks and the internet.
The technical flaw manifests through improper input validation within the router's web interface, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of authenticated users' browsers. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security issue that occurs when user-controllable data is directly embedded into web pages without proper sanitization or encoding. The specific implementation in the Actiontec router likely involves parameters or form fields within the web administration interface that do not adequately validate or escape user-supplied input before rendering it back to the browser. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious payloads that, when submitted through the router's configuration forms, get stored or reflected in the web interface, thereby executing in the context of other users who view the affected pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the local network environment. Once an attacker successfully exploits this XSS vulnerability, they can potentially hijack user sessions, steal administrative credentials, or manipulate router configurations to redirect traffic through malicious servers. The attack surface is particularly concerning because the router serves as a central point of control for network access, and compromising it allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to all devices connected to the network. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol: DNS and T1566.001 for credential harvesting through social engineering, as attackers can use the compromised router to establish persistent access or harvest network credentials from connected devices.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from Verizon or Actiontec, as the flaw exists within the device's core software implementation. Network administrators and users should also implement additional security layers such as network segmentation, firewall rules that restrict access to the router's management interface, and regular monitoring of router configuration changes. The vulnerability underscores the importance of secure coding practices in embedded systems and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of network infrastructure devices. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to protect against reflected XSS attacks and establish regular vulnerability assessment programs for network equipment to identify similar issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors.