CVE-2021-36322 in Networking X-Series
Summary
by MITRE • 11/20/2021
Dell Networking X-Series firmware versions prior to 3.0.1.8 contain a host header injection vulnerability. A remote unauthenticated attacker may potentially exploit this vulnerability by injecting arbitrary host header values to poison the web-cache or trigger redirections.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-36322 affects Dell Networking X-Series firmware versions prior to 3.0.1.8 and represents a critical host header injection flaw that enables remote unauthenticated attackers to manipulate web application behavior. This vulnerability resides within the web interface of Dell networking devices and stems from inadequate validation of host header values in HTTP requests. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious host headers that can be processed by the affected firmware, creating potential pathways for various malicious activities including cache poisoning and unauthorized redirections.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the firmware's failure to properly sanitize or validate host header values received from HTTP requests. When an attacker sends a crafted HTTP request containing a malicious host header, the firmware processes this input without adequate validation, allowing the injected values to be stored or used in subsequent operations. This behavior aligns with CWE-645, which defines improper neutralization of data within host header values as a weakness that can lead to various injection attacks. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically impacts the web-based management interface of Dell networking switches, making it particularly dangerous as it could allow attackers to manipulate how the device handles web requests and redirects.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cache poisoning to potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors including man-in-the-middle redirections and session hijacking. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to redirect users to malicious websites when they attempt to access the device's web interface, or to manipulate cached responses in ways that could compromise the security of legitimate users. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit means that any attacker with network access to the affected device could potentially leverage this vulnerability without requiring prior authentication or credentials. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise environments where network devices may be exposed to untrusted network segments.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including firmware updates to version 3.0.1.8 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the host header injection vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of affected devices to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous host header values in web traffic. The vulnerability's alignment with ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers exploitation of remote services, underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security controls and implementing proper network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls and input validation controls to provide additional layers of protection against similar injection attacks in the broader network infrastructure.