CVE-2014-2353 in DataHub
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Cogent DataHub before 7.3.5 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2025
The CVE-2014-2353 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in Cogent DataHub software versions prior to 7.3.5. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security weaknesses. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into the application's user interface, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity. Cogent DataHub is a data acquisition and visualization platform commonly used in industrial environments for monitoring and control systems, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for operational technology infrastructure.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the DataHub application's web interface components. Attackers can exploit this weakness through unspecified vectors that likely involve manipulating user-controllable input fields or parameters within the web application's communication channels. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, making it accessible from any network location. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Initial Access through Spearphishing Attachments and T1566.002 for Spearphishing Links, as attackers could craft malicious web pages or emails that leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond typical web application risks, particularly within industrial control systems where DataHub serves as a critical monitoring interface. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially redirect users to malicious sites, steal session cookies, or inject malicious code that could compromise the underlying industrial control systems. The implications are especially severe in environments where DataHub interfaces with critical infrastructure, as the injected scripts could be used to manipulate data visualization, potentially leading to incorrect operational decisions or system compromises. This vulnerability directly threatens the integrity and availability of operational technology systems, which are often not designed with the same security considerations as traditional web applications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-2353 should prioritize immediate software updates to version 7.3.5 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation mechanisms and output encoding practices to prevent similar issues in other components of their industrial control systems. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all industrial control system interfaces and ensure that proper web application firewalls are deployed. The remediation process should also include user education about phishing risks and the importance of verifying the authenticity of web interfaces before entering sensitive information. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as content security policies and regular security audits to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in their operational technology environments.