CVE-2016-5674 in ReadyNAS Surveillance
Summary
by MITRE
__debugging_center_utils___.php in NUUO NVRmini 2 1.7.5 through 3.0.0, NUUO NVRsolo 1.7.5 through 3.0.0, and NETGEAR ReadyNAS Surveillance 1.1.1 through 1.4.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via the log parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5674 represents a critical remote code execution flaw affecting several network video recorder systems from NUUO and NETGEAR. This vulnerability exists within the debugging center utilities component of these devices, specifically in the _debugging_center_utils_.php file which handles log parameter processing. The affected versions span multiple firmware releases across different hardware platforms, indicating a widespread issue that impacts both standalone and network-attached surveillance solutions. The vulnerability's presence in debugging utilities suggests that the developers may have inadvertently left development-mode functionality accessible in production environments, creating a significant security gap.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through improper input validation within the log parameter handling mechanism. When remote attackers send malicious payloads through the log parameter, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate the input before processing it as PHP code. This creates a classic command injection scenario where attacker-controlled data is executed within the PHP interpreter context. The vulnerability stems from a lack of proper input filtering and validation, allowing arbitrary PHP code execution with the privileges of the web server process. This flaw aligns with CWE-94, which describes improper validation of dangerous or unexpected inputs that can lead to code injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations utilizing these surveillance systems. Attackers can gain complete control over affected devices, potentially leading to unauthorized access to video feeds, data exfiltration, or use of the compromised systems as launch points for further attacks within the network. The remote nature of the exploitation means that attackers do not require physical access to the devices or network proximity, making the attack surface significantly larger. Organizations relying on these surveillance systems for security monitoring face potential exposure of sensitive footage and complete compromise of their security infrastructure. The vulnerability also affects both NUUO NVRmini 2 and NVRsolo devices, as well as NETGEAR ReadyNAS Surveillance systems, indicating a coordinated impact across multiple vendors in the surveillance market.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-5674 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from the vendors, as these releases typically contain patches addressing the input validation issues. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to these devices from untrusted networks, limiting potential attack vectors. Organizations should also conduct thorough network monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns or unauthorized access attempts. The implementation of web application firewalls and input validation mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. Security teams should perform regular vulnerability assessments on all networked devices and maintain up-to-date inventory of all surveillance equipment to ensure timely patch management. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control communications and privilege escalation, making it particularly dangerous for adversaries seeking persistent access to network security infrastructure.