CVE-2018-7904 in 1288H V5
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei 1288H V5 and 288H V5 with software of V100R005C00 have a JSON injection vulnerability. An authenticated, remote attacker can launch a JSON injection to modify the password of administrator. Due to insufficient verification of the input, this could be exploited to obtain the management privilege of the system.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2023
The CVE-2018-7904 vulnerability affects Huawei 1288H V5 and 288H V5 network equipment running software version V100R005C00, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of administrative access controls. This vulnerability resides in the JSON processing mechanisms of the device management interface, where inadequate input validation permits malicious manipulation of authentication parameters. The flaw specifically targets the password modification functionality, allowing authenticated remote attackers to exploit the JSON injection vulnerability to alter administrator credentials without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of JSON data structures within the web administration interface. When administrators or authorized users submit password change requests through the management portal, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the incoming JSON payload before processing. This validation gap creates an injection vector where maliciously crafted JSON data can be inserted into the system's authentication flow, potentially modifying administrative credentials or bypassing authentication mechanisms entirely. The vulnerability manifests as a direct consequence of weak input validation practices and inadequate data sanitization procedures within the device's web services layer.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to network infrastructure security, as it enables remote attackers to escalate privileges and gain full administrative control over affected Huawei devices. The authenticated nature of the attack means that an attacker must first obtain valid user credentials, but once achieved, they can leverage the JSON injection flaw to modify administrative passwords and subsequently assume complete control of the network equipment. This compromises the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the network infrastructure, potentially enabling further attacks such as man-in-the-middle operations, data exfiltration, or network disruption. The impact extends beyond individual device compromise to threaten entire network segments that rely on these devices for routing and security functions.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-74 and CWE-79 categories from the Common Weakness Enumeration, specifically addressing improper neutralization of special elements used in data queries and injection flaws in data processing. It also maps to ATT&CK techniques including T1078 for valid accounts and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, demonstrating how this vulnerability can be leveraged in broader attack campaigns. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates from Huawei, network segmentation to limit access to management interfaces, and enhanced monitoring of authentication events. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough network assessments to identify potentially compromised devices and establish robust input validation mechanisms across all web services to prevent similar injection vulnerabilities from occurring in the future.