CVE-2014-8358 in EC156
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei EC156, EC176, and EC177 USB Modem products with software before UTPS-V200R003B015D02SP07C1014 (23.015.02.07.1014) and before V200R003B015D02SP08C1014 (23.015.02.08.1014) use a weak ACL for the "Mobile Partner" directory, which allows remote attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges by compromising a low privilege account and modifying Mobile Partner.exe.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8358 affects Huawei USB modem devices including the EC156, EC176, and EC177 models with specific software versions prior to UTPS-V200R003B015D02SP07C1014 and V200R003B015D02SP08C1014. This security flaw represents a critical access control weakness that enables attackers to escalate privileges from low-privilege accounts to SYSTEM level access. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access control list implementation within the Mobile Partner directory, creating a pathway for unauthorized system compromise.
The technical flaw manifests through weak access control mechanisms that fail to properly enforce privilege boundaries within the modem's software architecture. When a low-privilege user account is compromised, the vulnerable system allows modification of the Mobile Partner.exe executable file without proper authentication or authorization checks. This weakness directly maps to CWE-284, which describes improper access control vulnerabilities where systems fail to properly enforce access restrictions. The flaw operates at the application level where the security controls are insufficient to prevent unauthorized modifications to critical system components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain complete system control over affected Huawei modems, potentially enabling them to intercept communications, modify network configurations, or establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability means attackers do not require physical access to the device, making it particularly dangerous in environments where modems are deployed in remote locations or managed through network interfaces. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers the exploitation of local privileges for system-level access, and T1566, covering social engineering tactics that can lead to initial access for privilege escalation.
The security implications extend beyond immediate system compromise as these modems often serve as network gateways in enterprise environments, potentially providing attackers with persistent access points to larger network infrastructures. Organizations using affected Huawei modems should implement immediate mitigations including software updates to the patched versions, network segmentation to limit access to these devices, and enhanced monitoring for unauthorized modifications to system files. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in embedded systems and mobile network devices where security controls must be robust enough to prevent privilege escalation attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures such as file integrity monitoring and privileged access management to protect against similar vulnerabilities in other network infrastructure components.