CVE-2015-8333 in VCN500
Summary
by MITRE
The Operation and Maintenance Unit (OMU) in Huawei VCN500 with software before V100R002C00SPC200 allows remote authenticated users to change the IP address of the media server via crafted packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-8333 affects the Operation and Maintenance Unit within Huawei VCN500 video surveillance systems running software versions prior to V100R002C00SPC200. This represents a critical security flaw in the system's administrative interface that enables remote authenticated attackers to manipulate network configuration parameters. The vulnerability specifically targets the media server's IP address configuration, which forms a fundamental component of the device's network accessibility and operational integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authorization checks within the OMU's communication protocols. When authenticated users send specially crafted packets to the device, the system fails to properly validate the legitimacy of the IP address modification requests. This allows attackers who have already established authentication credentials to manipulate the media server's network configuration without proper authorization. The flaw operates at the protocol level where the OMU processes administrative commands, creating a path for privilege escalation through network configuration changes that should require elevated privileges or specific administrative permissions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple network reconfiguration to potentially compromise the entire surveillance infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could redirect the media server to an unauthorized network segment, effectively isolating the surveillance system from its intended management network or redirecting traffic to malicious endpoints. This modification could disrupt service availability, create man-in-the-middle opportunities, or enable further attacks by compromising the network positioning of critical surveillance components. The vulnerability undermines the principle of least privilege and could allow attackers to gain deeper access to the system by altering the network configuration that controls access to other system components.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in system components, and represents a specific instance of unauthorized privilege escalation through network configuration manipulation. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and potentially T1566 for credential manipulation if the attacker can leverage initial authentication to achieve network reconfiguration. Organizations utilizing Huawei VCN500 systems should immediately implement firmware updates to V100R002C00SPC200 or later versions that address this specific validation flaw. Additionally, network segmentation should be implemented to limit the blast radius of potential exploitation, and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized network configuration changes. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current firmware versions and implementing robust network access controls for critical infrastructure components that handle sensitive surveillance data.