CVE-2014-9610 in Netsweeper
Summary
by MITRE
Netsweeper before 3.1.10, 4.0.x before 4.0.9, and 4.1.x before 4.1.2 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and remove IP addresses from the quarantine via the ip parameter to webadmin/user/quarantine_disable.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9610 affects Netsweeper web-based content filtering and security management software versions prior to specific patches. This authentication bypass flaw exists within the web administration interface, specifically targeting the quarantine management functionality. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to manipulate the system without proper authorization, potentially compromising the security posture of organizations relying on Netsweeper for network protection. The affected versions span multiple release lines including 3.1.10, 4.0.9, and 4.1.2, indicating a widespread issue that required patching across the product lifecycle.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication controls within the webadmin/user/quarantine_disable.php script. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating the ip parameter to directly call the quarantine disable functionality. This parameter manipulation bypasses the normal authentication flow that should verify user credentials before allowing administrative actions. The flaw represents a classic case of improper access control where the application fails to validate whether the requesting user has legitimate authorization to perform quarantine management operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the quarantine_disable.php endpoint, which is designed to remove IP addresses from quarantine status, making it particularly dangerous for network security management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially enable malicious actors to disrupt network security controls. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could remove legitimate quarantined IP addresses, effectively bypassing content filtering restrictions for those addresses. This could allow malicious traffic to flow through the network without detection, potentially leading to data breaches, malware infections, or other security incidents. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors do not require physical access to the network or administrative privileges on the Netsweeper server itself, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations with remote workforce capabilities or those managing distributed networks. The ability to manipulate quarantine status directly impacts the core security functionality of Netsweeper, potentially undermining the entire content filtering and security policy enforcement mechanism.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for versions 3.1.10, 4.0.9, and 4.1.2, which address the authentication bypass issue. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the Netsweeper web administration interface to only trusted administrative networks. Additional monitoring should be deployed to detect unusual access patterns to the quarantine_disable.php endpoint, particularly when multiple IP addresses are removed from quarantine within short timeframes. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. Regular security assessments should verify that administrative interfaces are properly secured and that access controls are functioning as intended to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.