CVE-2014-3778 in SBG901
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in goform/RgDdns in ARRIS (formerly Motorola) SBG901 SURFboard Wireless Cable Modem allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that (1) change the dns service via the DdnsService parameter, (2) change the username via the DdnsUserName parameter, (3) change the password via the DdnsPassword parameter, or (4) change the host name via the DdnsHostName parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2024
The CVE-2014-3778 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the web-based administration interface of ARRIS SBG901 SURFboard Wireless Cable Modem devices. This vulnerability resides within the goform/RgDdns component of the modem's firmware, specifically targeting the Dynamic Domain Name System (DDNS) configuration parameters. The flaw allows remote attackers to manipulate administrative settings without proper authentication, creating a significant security risk for home and small office network environments that rely on these devices for internet connectivity and network management.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-forgery token validation within the affected web forms. When administrators access the DDNS configuration settings through the modem's web interface, the application fails to verify that requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing website vulnerabilities to trick authenticated users into making unintended modifications to the modem's DDNS configuration. The vulnerability specifically targets four critical parameters including DdnsService, DdnsUserName, DdnsPassword, and DdnsHostName, each representing a different aspect of the dynamic DNS service configuration that controls how the modem communicates its public IP address to DDNS providers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, potentially enabling attackers to completely compromise network security and connectivity. By modifying the DDNS service parameters, attackers can redirect the modem's DNS resolution to malicious servers, effectively creating a man-in-the-middle attack vector. Changing the username and password parameters allows unauthorized access to DDNS services, potentially enabling attackers to register malicious domains or hijack legitimate ones. The host name modification capability can be used to redirect traffic to attacker-controlled infrastructure, while changing the DDNS service parameter might disable or alter the service entirely, disrupting network connectivity for legitimate users.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and authentication mechanisms that violate fundamental web security principles. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1071.004 for Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1566 for Phishing, as attackers can leverage the compromised DDNS settings to redirect traffic or establish malicious domains. The vulnerability also relates to T1082 for System Information Discovery, as attackers can potentially use the compromised modem to gather network information or establish persistent access points.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3778 should focus on immediate firmware updates from ARRIS, as the vendor likely released patches addressing this specific vulnerability. Network administrators should implement additional security measures including disabling remote administration access to these devices, configuring firewall rules to restrict access to the modem's web interface, and ensuring that default administrative credentials are changed immediately upon device deployment. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of network segmentation, where critical network management interfaces are isolated from general user access networks. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments of network infrastructure devices to identify similar vulnerabilities and implement robust access control mechanisms. Additionally, implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect unusual DDNS configuration changes or traffic patterns can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts.