CVE-2017-11588 in DDR2200
Summary
by MITRE
On Cisco DDR2200 ADSL2+ Residential Gateway DDR2200B-NA-AnnexA-FCC-V00.00.03.45.4E and DDR2201v1 ADSL2+ Residential Gateway DDR2201v1-NA-AnnexA-FCC-V00.00.03.28.3 devices, there is remote command execution via shell metacharacters in the pingAddr parameter to the waitPingqry.cgi URI. The command output is visible at /PingMsg.cmd.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-11588 affects Cisco DDR2200 series residential gateways, specifically the DDR2200B-NA-AnnexA-FCC-V00.00.03.45.4E and DDR2201v1-NA-AnnexA-FCC-V00.00.03.28.3 models. This represents a critical remote code execution flaw that allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected devices without authentication. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the web interface of these residential gateways, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject shell metacharacters into the pingAddr parameter of the waitPingqry.cgi URI. This flaw falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-77, which specifically addresses the execution of command-line commands with untrusted input, making it a classic command injection vulnerability.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the web-based management interface of the residential gateway where the pingAddr parameter is processed without proper sanitization of user input. When an attacker submits malicious input containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or other command delimiters, the system executes these commands within the context of the device's operating system. The command output is then made accessible through the /PingMsg.cmd endpoint, which serves as both a vector for command execution and a mechanism for retrieving results. This design flaw allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to the underlying system shell, potentially enabling them to modify device configurations, install malicious software, or use the device as a pivot point for attacks on other network resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of the affected residential gateways. These devices serve as the primary network access point for many home and small office environments, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to establish persistent access or launch broader network attacks. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform reconnaissance activities, modify network settings, and potentially redirect traffic through the compromised device. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation), as well as T1566 (Phishing for Information) when attackers use the compromised device to target other systems. The lack of authentication requirements for exploitation means that any remote attacker can potentially compromise these devices, creating a significant risk for users who may not be aware of the vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-11588 should focus on immediate remediation through firmware updates provided by Cisco, as well as network-level protections. Organizations and individuals should ensure their affected devices are updated to the latest firmware versions that address this vulnerability. Network administrators should implement firewall rules to restrict access to the web management interface of these devices, particularly when they are exposed to the internet. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary services, implementing strong network segmentation, and monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices in embedded systems, emphasizing the need for input validation, output encoding, and proper privilege separation in network device firmware development. Security professionals should consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability pattern.