CVE-2018-0625 in WG1200HP
Summary
by MITRE
Aterm WG1200HP firmware Ver1.0.31 and earlier allows attacker with administrator rights to execute arbitrary OS commands via formSysCmd parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/27/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0625 represents a critical command injection flaw in the Aterm WG1200HP wireless router firmware versions 1.0.31 and earlier. This issue resides within the formSysCmd parameter handling mechanism, which fails to properly validate or sanitize user input before executing system commands. The vulnerability essentially allows an attacker who has already gained administrative access to the device to inject and execute arbitrary operating system commands with the highest possible privileges. This represents a severe privilege escalation and command execution vulnerability that can be exploited to gain complete control over the affected network device.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88 categories, specifically addressing command injection flaws where untrusted data is directly incorporated into operating system commands without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices in the firmware's web interface handling, where the formSysCmd parameter accepts user-supplied data and passes it directly to system command execution functions. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when developers assume that input from web forms will be properly formatted or when they fail to implement proper sanitization mechanisms before command execution.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations and individuals using affected Aterm WG1200HP devices. Once an attacker obtains administrative credentials, they can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious commands that may include network reconnaissance, port scanning, data exfiltration, or even installation of persistent backdoors. The attacker could potentially use this capability to compromise not only the router itself but also any devices connected to its network, as routers serve as critical network gateways. The vulnerability essentially transforms a legitimate administrative interface into a potential attack vector for executing arbitrary code on the underlying operating system.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to first obtain administrative credentials, which may be achieved through various means including default credential exploitation, credential brute force attacks, or other pre-existing vulnerabilities. However, once administrative access is gained, the command injection capability provides the attacker with complete control over the device's operating system functions. This vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms in embedded systems and network devices, as these devices often run with elevated privileges and can serve as critical points of compromise in network security infrastructures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-0625 should include immediate firmware updates to versions that address this command injection vulnerability, as well as network segmentation and access control measures to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement strict network monitoring to detect suspicious command execution patterns and consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify attempts to exploit such vulnerabilities. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced, ensuring that administrative access is limited to authorized personnel only and that regular credential rotation is implemented. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of secure coding practices and regular security assessments of embedded firmware systems to identify and remediate similar command injection flaws before they can be exploited by malicious actors.