# CVE-2014-2849: Missing authorization in n/a

> Authenticated users can change the admin password via a crafted request, leading to privilege escalation and account takeover.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Apr 2014
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v7px-vmjj-q9rw

## What is CVE-2014-2849?

CVE-2014-2849 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 11 Apr 2014. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Change Password dialog box (change_password) in Sophos Web Appliance before 3.8.2 allows remote authenticated users to change the admin user password via a crafted request.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-2849?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Sophos Web Appliance, Sophos Web Appliance Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-2849?

No fix has been published for CVE-2014-2849 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2014-2849 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2014-2849 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Sophos Web Protection Appliance Interface Authenticated Arbitrary Command Execution (metasploit)
- Sophos Web Protection Appliance Interface - (Authenticated) Arbitrary Command Execution (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2023-1671](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1671/): Sophos Web Appliance Command Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-6182](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6182/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2013-2642](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2642/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2014-2850](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2850/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2017-6412](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6412/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-2849 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-2849 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 11 Apr 2014. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2014-2849 exists.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2849/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2849/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-2849
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-2849
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-2849

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2849/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.