CVE-2014-2844 in Security Gateway
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in F-Secure Messaging Secure Gateway 7.5.0 before Patch 1862 allows remote authenticated administrators to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the new parameter in the SysUser module to admin.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2844 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the F-Secure Messaging Secure Gateway 7.5.0 system prior to Patch 1862. This security weakness specifically affects the SysUser module within the administrative interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code. The vulnerability requires authentication, meaning only authorized administrators could potentially exploit this flaw, though the implications remain severe given the privileged access level.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the SysUser module's handling of the new parameter. When authenticated administrators interact with the system's administrative functions, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before rendering it in the web interface. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other administrators' browsers, effectively bypassing the security boundaries that should protect the administrative interface from unauthorized code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform a range of malicious activities including session hijacking, data theft, and privilege escalation. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially steal administrative session cookies, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, or even establish persistent backdoors within the messaging gateway environment. The fact that this affects the administrative interface means that successful exploitation could compromise the entire security posture of the messaging infrastructure.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and script injection and T1566 for credential harvesting through social engineering. The attack vector requires a pre-existing administrative account, making it a privilege escalation vulnerability rather than a direct remote code execution flaw. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the available patch 1862, implementing web application firewalls, and conducting thorough security assessments of administrative interfaces to identify similar input validation weaknesses.
The remediation approach must prioritize immediate patch deployment as the primary defense mechanism, followed by comprehensive input validation improvements throughout the application codebase. Security teams should also implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous administrative activities and establish secure coding practices that prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles. Regular security assessments and penetration testing of administrative interfaces should become standard practice to identify and remediate such critical flaws before they can be exploited by malicious actors.