CVE-2017-8332 in Almond
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered on Securifi Almond, Almond+, and Almond 2015 devices with firmware AL-R096. The device provides a user with the capability of blocking key words passing in the web traffic to prevent kids from watching content that might be deemed unsafe using the web management interface. It seems that the device does not implement any cross-site scripting protection mechanism which allows an attacker to trick a user who is logged in to the web management interface into executing a stored cross-site scripting payload on the user's browser and execute any action on the device provided by the web management interface.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8332 affects Securifi Almond, Almond+, and Almond 2015 devices running firmware version AL-R096, representing a critical security flaw in consumer internet of things infrastructure. These devices are designed as smart home gateways that provide parental control capabilities through web-based management interfaces, allowing users to filter web content and block inappropriate material for children. The security mechanism relies on a web management interface that enables administrators to configure keyword filtering and content blocking policies. However, the implementation lacks essential cross-site scripting protection measures, creating a fundamental security gap that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical flaw manifests as a classic stored cross-site scripting vulnerability, specifically categorized under CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation in a web application. The device fails to implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms when processing user-supplied data through the web interface. This weakness allows an attacker to inject malicious javascript code into the device configuration or management interface, which then gets stored and executed whenever a logged-in administrator accesses the web management interface. The vulnerability operates through a social engineering attack vector where the attacker must trick a legitimate user into visiting a malicious webpage or clicking on a compromised link that contains the malicious payload.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected devices. Once successfully exploited, the malicious payload can perform any action available through the web management interface, including but not limited to modifying parental control settings, disabling security features, adding unauthorized users, accessing network configuration details, and potentially redirecting traffic through malicious proxies. The attack is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust relationship between the user and the device, exploiting the assumption that logged-in users are legitimate administrators. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1059.007 for scripting and T1078.004 for valid accounts, as it exploits legitimate administrative access through compromised session management.
The security implications extend beyond immediate device compromise to potential network-wide consequences, as these devices often serve as primary gateways for home networks and may be connected to sensitive personal information and other IoT devices. The vulnerability affects the core security model of the device, which is designed to protect children from inappropriate content while simultaneously being vulnerable to exploitation that could undermine all security measures. Organizations and individuals should consider this vulnerability as a critical threat requiring immediate attention, particularly given that the affected devices were designed for home environments where users may not be security-savvy and where the attack surface includes potentially sensitive personal data. The lack of proper input sanitization and output encoding represents a fundamental flaw in the device's security architecture that violates basic web application security principles and makes the device susceptible to a wide range of additional attacks that could compromise the entire network infrastructure.