CVE-2014-7277 in SBG-3300
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the login page on the ZyXEL SBG-3300 Security Gateway with firmware 1.00(AADY.4)C0 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified "welcome message" form data that is improperly handled during rendering of the loginMessage list item, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-7278.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2022
The CVE-2014-7277 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in ZyXEL SBG-3300 Security Gateway devices running firmware versions 1.00(AADY.4)C0 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically targets the device's login page functionality, creating a dangerous attack vector that enables remote adversaries to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated user sessions. The flaw resides in how the system processes and renders "welcome message" form data, particularly when handling the loginMessage list item during the authentication process. This represents a distinct vulnerability from CVE-2014-7278, indicating that multiple XSS weaknesses exist within the same device firmware, highlighting the severity of the overall security posture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the web interface of the security gateway. When administrators configure welcome messages or login prompts through the management interface, the system fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in the login page context. This improper handling creates an XSS opportunity where attackers can inject malicious JavaScript code, HTML content, or other harmful scripts through the welcome message form fields. The vulnerability operates at the presentation layer, where user-controllable data flows directly into the HTML rendering without appropriate sanitization, making it particularly dangerous for network administrators who may unknowingly execute malicious code when viewing login pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise the entire network infrastructure. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal authentication credentials, redirect users to malicious sites, inject malicious content into the device's management interface, or even establish persistent backdoors through session hijacking techniques. The vulnerability affects the core authentication mechanism of the security gateway, potentially allowing unauthorized access to network management interfaces and compromising the device's ability to provide network security services. Given that the SBG-3300 is a consumer-grade security gateway, the attack surface is particularly concerning as it may be exposed to the internet without proper network segmentation.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which falls under the broader category of web application security flaws. The ATT&CK framework would classify this under T1566 - Phishing and T1071.001 - Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, as it exploits web interface vulnerabilities to deliver malicious payloads. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates to the latest available versions, disabling unnecessary web management interfaces, implementing network segmentation, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injection attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments of network infrastructure devices are essential to identify similar vulnerabilities in other firmware components that may present comparable risks to network security operations.