CVE-2014-5382 in Technik microControl
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the web interface in Schrack Technik microControl with firmware 1.7.0 (937) allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the position textbox in the configuration menu or other unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2018
The CVE-2014-5382 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the web interface of Schrack Technik microControl devices running firmware version 1.7.0 build 937. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The vulnerability specifically affects the configuration menu where users can input data into a position textbox, creating an attack vector that allows remote adversaries to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated users' browsers. The flaw demonstrates a classic input validation failure where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered back to the web interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization mechanisms within the web application layer of the microControl device. When administrators or users interact with the configuration interface and enter data into the position textbox, the application fails to properly validate or escape the input before displaying it back to the user. This allows attackers to inject malicious HTML or JavaScript code that gets executed in the browser context of legitimate users who view the affected page. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the device or network privileges beyond basic network connectivity to exploit the flaw. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability may extend beyond just the position textbox to other input fields within the web interface, potentially affecting multiple attack surfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker who successfully exploits this XSS flaw can execute arbitrary scripts in the browser of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The attack could enable an adversary to escalate privileges within the device's web interface, gain full administrative control, or manipulate device configurations. Given that this affects network infrastructure equipment, the consequences extend beyond simple web application compromise to potential network disruption or unauthorized access to sensitive network operations. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Initial Access through Valid Accounts and T1071.001 for Application Layer Protocol for Command and Control communications, as attackers could use the compromised interface to establish persistent access or exfiltrate information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-5382 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Schrack Technik, as this vulnerability affects a specific firmware version that likely received patches in subsequent releases. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to these devices to authorized personnel only and deploy web application firewalls or security proxies that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts. Input validation and output encoding should be implemented at multiple layers, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious script patterns in web interface traffic, and regular security assessments should verify that all network infrastructure devices are running patched firmware versions. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing role-based access controls to limit the scope of potential exploitation and establish incident response procedures for handling such security events. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware and implementing proper input validation mechanisms in embedded network devices that serve as administrative interfaces.