CVE-2014-8425 in VAP2500
Summary
by MITRE
The management portal in ARRIS VAP2500 before FW08.41 allows remote attackers to obtain credentials by reading the configuration files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/18/2024
The CVE-2014-8425 vulnerability affects the ARRIS VAP2500 wireless access point device running firmware versions prior to FW08.41. This security flaw resides within the management portal implementation and represents a critical information disclosure vulnerability that enables remote attackers to extract sensitive authentication credentials from the device. The vulnerability stems from improper access controls and insecure configuration file handling within the device's web interface, which fails to adequately protect sensitive system data from unauthorized access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the management portal's failure to properly validate access requests to configuration files that contain user credentials and authentication information. Attackers can exploit this weakness by directly accessing specific configuration file paths through the web interface without proper authentication. The flaw essentially allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to retrieve stored credentials, including administrative passwords and potentially other sensitive system information, by simply reading the device's configuration files through the exposed management portal interface. This represents a classic case of insecure direct object reference vulnerability where the application exposes internal object references without proper authorization checks.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-8425 is significant as it provides attackers with the means to gain unauthorized administrative access to the wireless access point. Once credentials are obtained, attackers can modify network configurations, implement malicious changes to the device's operation, or use the compromised credentials to pivot into the broader network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects devices in the VAP2500 series running firmware versions before FW08.41, potentially exposing numerous network endpoints to unauthorized access and control. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of network management systems and can lead to complete device compromise and potential network infiltration.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating all affected ARRIS VAP2500 devices to firmware version FW08.41 or later, which addresses this specific vulnerability. Network segmentation should be implemented to isolate management interfaces from public networks, and access controls should be strengthened to limit administrative access to authorized personnel only. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in network infrastructure devices. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access, highlighting the multi-faceted impact of this security flaw on network security posture.