CVE-2014-8356 in zNID 2426A
Summary
by MITRE
The web administrative portal in Zhone zNID 2426A before S3.0.501 allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions via a modified server response, related to an insecure direct object reference.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8356 affects the web administrative portal of Zhone zNID 2426A devices running firmware versions prior to S3.0.501. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the device's access control mechanisms and exposes administrative functions to unauthorized manipulation. The vulnerability specifically manifests through an insecure direct object reference (IDOR) weakness that allows authenticated users to bypass intended access restrictions by manipulating server responses. This issue fundamentally compromises the integrity of the device's administrative interface and creates potential pathways for privilege escalation and unauthorized system control.
The technical flaw stems from improper validation of object references within the web administrative portal's server-side processing. When authenticated users interact with the administrative interface, the system fails to adequately verify whether the requesting user has legitimate authorization to access specific administrative resources. The insecure direct object reference vulnerability occurs because the application directly references internal objects using user-supplied input without proper authorization checks. This allows an attacker who has obtained valid credentials to manipulate object identifiers in server responses, thereby gaining access to administrative functions that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the trust placed in authenticated sessions to bypass access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, potentially enabling attackers to perform critical administrative functions such as configuration changes, user management, system updates, and data manipulation. Remote authenticated users who exploit this vulnerability can effectively elevate their privileges within the device's administrative interface, creating opportunities for system compromise, data exfiltration, or service disruption. The implications are particularly severe given that the affected device serves as a network infrastructure component that may control critical connectivity functions. Attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to modify network configurations, disable security features, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability also aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework where unauthorized access to administrative interfaces represents a common vector for network compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-8356 should prioritize immediate firmware updates to versions S3.0.501 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the insecure direct object reference vulnerability. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, employ multi-factor authentication for administrative access, and conduct regular security assessments of network infrastructure devices. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and access control implementation, principles that align with security standards such as those outlined in the CWE-639 category for insecure direct object reference flaws. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for unusual administrative access patterns can provide additional layers of defense. Security teams should also consider conducting vulnerability assessments to identify other devices within their network that may be susceptible to similar IDOR vulnerabilities, as this represents a common weakness in web application security that has been documented across multiple frameworks including the MITRE ATT&CK matrix under the privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics.