CVE-2014-9137 in USG2100
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei USG9500 with software V200R001C01SPC800 and earlier versions, V300R001C00; USG2100 with software V300R001C00SPC900 and earlier versions; USG2200 with software V300R001C00SPC900; USG5100 with software V300R001C00SPC900 could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a CSRF attack against the user of the web interface.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9137 affects Huawei security appliances including the USG9500, USG2100, USG2200, and USG5100 models running specific software versions. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the web-based management interfaces of these network security devices, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit cross-site request forgery mechanisms without requiring authentication credentials. The vulnerability specifically impacts devices with software versions V200R001C01SPC800 and earlier, V300R001C00, and related service pack versions, making a significant portion of Huawei's firewall portfolio susceptible to this attack vector.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of web requests within the administrative interfaces of these devices. When users access the web management console, the system fails to properly verify the origin of requests, allowing an attacker to craft malicious web pages that can trigger unintended actions on behalf of authenticated users. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-352, which describes Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities where web applications fail to validate the source of requests. The flaw enables attackers to perform administrative operations such as changing configurations, modifying user accounts, or altering security policies without possessing valid authentication credentials, effectively bypassing the authentication mechanisms that should protect these critical network devices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it allows remote attackers to compromise the security posture of protected networks. An attacker could exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to network security configurations, potentially leading to complete network infiltration, data exfiltration, or disruption of network services. The attack requires no prior authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be executed from anywhere on the internet, targeting users who are already authenticated to the device's web interface. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers valid accounts used for persistence and privilege escalation, as unauthorized changes to device configurations could provide attackers with ongoing access to the network infrastructure. The risk is amplified because these devices typically serve as network perimeters, making successful exploitation potentially catastrophic for the entire network security architecture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates and configuration hardening measures. Organizations must upgrade affected Huawei devices to software versions that address this CSRF vulnerability, as provided by Huawei security advisories. Network administrators should also implement additional security controls such as restricting web management access to trusted networks only, implementing network segmentation to isolate management interfaces, and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. The implementation of web application firewalls and additional authentication layers for administrative access can provide defense-in-depth protection. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining exposure risks, while security policies should be updated to address the specific threat vectors associated with CSRF attacks against network security appliances. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access and regularly review device configurations to ensure that only necessary services are exposed to external networks.