CVE-2018-16307 in MIWiFi Xiaomi_55DD
Summary
by MITRE
An "Out-of-band resource load" issue was discovered on Xiaomi MIWiFi Xiaomi_55DD Version 2.8.50 devices. It is possible to induce the application to retrieve the contents of an arbitrary external URL and return those contents in its own response. If a domain name (containing a random string) is used in the HTTP Host header, the application performs an HTTP request to the specified domain. The response from that request is then included in the application's own response.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical out-of-band resource load issue that affects Xiaomi MIWiFi Xiaomi_55DD devices running version 2.8.50. The flaw stems from improper input validation within the application's handling of HTTP Host headers, creating a dangerous condition where external resources can be loaded and incorporated into the application's responses without proper authorization or security checks. The vulnerability operates through a direct manipulation of the HTTP Host header parameter, allowing attackers to specify arbitrary domain names that the application will then attempt to resolve and retrieve content from. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-20 category of "Improper Input Validation" and specifically relates to CWE-917, "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command," though in this case the exploitation occurs through HTTP requests rather than command execution. The security implications are severe as this creates a potential for server-side request forgery attacks where malicious actors can leverage the device to make unauthorized requests to internal or external systems.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly sanitize or validate the Host header value before using it in HTTP request operations. When a malicious Host header containing a domain name is submitted, the application treats this as a legitimate request target and proceeds to fetch content from that specified location. The retrieved content is then seamlessly integrated into the application's response, effectively creating a proxy-like behavior that can be exploited for various malicious purposes. This behavior violates fundamental security principles of input validation and access control, as the application essentially becomes an unwitting conduit for external resource retrieval. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security architecture where the application's trust model is compromised by allowing external inputs to dictate internal resource loading operations, creating a dangerous attack surface that can be leveraged for data exfiltration, service disruption, or further exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable sophisticated attack vectors including but not limited to data exfiltration, service availability disruption, and potential escalation to more severe security breaches. Attackers can use this vulnerability to probe internal networks, retrieve sensitive information from internal services, or even create command and control channels through the compromised device. The ability to load arbitrary external content also opens possibilities for cross-site scripting attacks if the retrieved content contains malicious scripts, or for content injection attacks that could compromise the integrity of the application's responses. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004, "Application Layer Protocol: DNS," and potentially T1566, "Phishing," as it can be used to create malicious web requests that appear legitimate to the application. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability affects a network device that typically operates within trusted internal networks, making it a valuable target for lateral movement and privilege escalation attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the core issue of improper input validation and implement comprehensive security controls to prevent unauthorized external resource loading. The primary recommendation involves implementing strict input validation and sanitization for all HTTP headers, particularly the Host header, ensuring that only predetermined and authorized domains or IP addresses can be used for external resource retrieval. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict outbound connections from the affected devices, preventing them from making unauthorized external requests. Additionally, the application should be updated to validate that the Host header value corresponds to legitimate internal resources or explicitly defined external endpoints, with any deviation from these expected values being rejected. Organizations should also implement monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect unusual outbound network activity that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing defense-in-depth strategies, as this issue could have been prevented through proper input validation, least privilege principles, and comprehensive security testing. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in network infrastructure devices and applications.