CVE-2014-2358 in Fox DataDiode
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the administrative web interface in the proxy server on Fox-IT Fox DataDiode appliances before 1.7.2 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that (1) create administrative users, (2) remove administrative users, or (3) change permissions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2025
The CVE-2014-2358 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the administrative web interface of Fox-IT Fox DataDiode appliances. This vulnerability exists within the proxy server component of the device and affects versions prior to 1.7.2, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these network security appliances. The flaw specifically targets the administrative web interface, which serves as the primary management portal for configuring and controlling the device's security policies and user access controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms in the administrative interface. When administrators perform actions such as creating new administrative users, removing existing administrative users, or modifying user permissions, the system fails to validate that these requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. This lack of validation allows remote attackers to craft malicious requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator, can be processed without proper authorization checks. The vulnerability operates at the web application level and specifically targets the authentication session management within the proxy server's administrative interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected appliances. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can escalate their privileges by creating new administrative accounts, effectively gaining persistent access to the device. They can also remove existing administrators, thereby eliminating legitimate access points, or modify permissions to weaken the overall security posture. This capability directly violates the principle of least privilege and enables attackers to completely compromise the device's administrative functions, potentially leading to unauthorized network access, data interception, or complete network disruption. The vulnerability creates a persistent backdoor that can remain undetected for extended periods, as the compromised administrative sessions appear legitimate to the system.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Fox-IT Fox DataDiode appliance versions 1.7.2 or later, which contain the necessary CSRF protection patches. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit administrative access to these devices, ensuring that only trusted network segments can reach the administrative interfaces. Additionally, implementing proper monitoring and logging of administrative activities can help detect unauthorized access attempts. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1566.001 for Phishing, as attackers may leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access through compromised administrative credentials. The remediation process should include thorough network security assessments to identify all affected devices and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future.