CVE-2016-10760 in Seowon Intech
Summary
by MITRE
On Seowon Intech routers, there is a Command Injection vulnerability in diagnostic.cgi via shell metacharacters in the ping_ipaddr parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10760 affects Seowon Intech routers and represents a critical command injection flaw within the diagnostic.cgi web interface component. This vulnerability resides in the handling of the ping_ipaddr parameter, where the application fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into system commands. The absence of input validation allows attackers to inject malicious shell metacharacters that get executed by the underlying operating system, potentially enabling arbitrary command execution on the affected device. Such a flaw fundamentally compromises the router's security posture and provides attackers with elevated privileges to manipulate network infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77, which specifically addresses command injection flaws in software systems. The vulnerability exists because the diagnostic.cgi script directly incorporates user-supplied input from the ping_ipaddr parameter into shell commands without proper sanitization or encoding. When an attacker submits malicious input containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks, these characters are interpreted by the shell and executed as additional commands. This creates an attack surface where remote adversaries can leverage the vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the router's operating system, potentially gaining full control over the device and its network functionalities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it enables attackers to compromise the entire network infrastructure controlled by the affected router. An attacker could use this vulnerability to gain persistent access to the network, redirect traffic through malicious proxies, disable security features, or establish backdoor access for future exploitation. The vulnerability affects the router's diagnostic functionality, which typically should only allow legitimate network troubleshooting operations. However, the lack of proper input validation transforms this legitimate feature into a vector for privilege escalation and unauthorized system control. This type of vulnerability particularly impacts enterprise networks where routers serve as critical infrastructure components, potentially allowing attackers to move laterally within the network or disrupt network services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10760 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Seowon Intech to address the command injection vulnerability. Network administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of affected devices to untrusted networks. The implementation of web application firewalls and input validation mechanisms can help detect and prevent malicious payload delivery. Additionally, regular security assessments should include verification of input sanitization practices in all web interface components, particularly those handling user-supplied parameters. According to ATT&CK framework tactic TA0006 (Credential Access) and technique T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter), this vulnerability enables adversaries to execute commands through the router's operating system, potentially leading to credential theft and further system compromise. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous command execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and input validation in network infrastructure devices, aligning with security standards that emphasize defense-in-depth strategies for protecting critical network components from remote code execution attacks.