CVE-2018-15181 in 4G Hotspot M2S
Summary
by MITRE
JioFi 4G Hotspot M2S devices allow attackers to cause a denial of service (secure configuration outage) via an XSS payload in the SSID name and Security Key fields.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2024
The CVE-2018-15181 vulnerability affects JioFi 4G Hotspot M2S devices, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute cross-site scripting attacks against the device's web interface. This vulnerability specifically targets the SSID name and Security Key configuration fields, which are commonly used by users to customize their wireless network settings. The device fails to properly sanitize user input in these fields, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts that can compromise the device's secure configuration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the device's web management interface. When users enter specially crafted payloads into the SSID name or Security Key fields, the device stores this data without proper sanitization. The vulnerability manifests as a persistent cross-site scripting flaw that allows attackers to execute malicious code in the context of the device's web interface, potentially leading to complete device compromise. This flaw operates at the application layer and can be exploited through standard web browser interactions, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no specialized tools beyond basic web exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can result in complete device compromise and unauthorized access to the wireless network. Attackers can leverage the XSS payload to modify the device's configuration, potentially changing network settings, disabling security features, or redirecting traffic to malicious endpoints. The secure configuration outage mentioned in the CVE description indicates that the device's ability to maintain proper security policies is compromised, which could lead to unauthorized network access, data interception, or even the device being used as a pivot point for further attacks within a network. This vulnerability directly impacts the device's ability to provide secure wireless connectivity and can affect multiple users who rely on the device for network access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-15181 should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding improvements within the device firmware. Network administrators should implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage. Device manufacturers should implement proper input sanitization mechanisms, including HTML escaping and content security policies, to prevent malicious payloads from being stored or executed within the device interface. Regular firmware updates and security patches should be deployed immediately upon availability, and users should be educated about the importance of monitoring configuration changes in network devices. Additionally, network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect suspicious traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts targeting the device's web interface.