CVE-2018-21126 in WAC505
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by command injection by an unauthenticated attacker. This affects WAC505 before 5.0.0.17 and WAC510 before 5.0.0.17.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-21126 represents a critical command injection flaw affecting specific NETGEAR wireless access point models including the WAC505 and WAC510. This security weakness allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected devices, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized network access. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the device's web interface handling mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute system commands without requiring valid credentials or authentication.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves improper sanitization of user-supplied input parameters within the device's web management interface. When an attacker submits malicious input through specific HTTP request parameters, the system fails to properly validate or escape the input before processing, enabling the execution of arbitrary shell commands on the underlying operating system. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-77 which specifically addresses command injection flaws in software applications. The vulnerability affects firmware versions prior to 5.0.0.17, indicating that NETGEAR had not yet addressed this specific security gap in their software releases.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass complete network compromise and potential lateral movement within affected environments. An unauthenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to gain root-level access to the wireless access points, enabling them to modify network configurations, intercept wireless traffic, or establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. This represents a significant risk to enterprise and organizational networks where these devices serve as critical access points for wireless connectivity. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting the execution of system commands through vulnerable interfaces.
Network administrators should immediately implement mitigations including firmware updates to versions 5.0.0.17 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the command injection vulnerability. Additionally, network segmentation strategies should be employed to limit the potential impact of compromised devices, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual traffic patterns or command execution attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices in web applications, particularly those handling user input through HTTP interfaces. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control measures and regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in their wireless infrastructure deployments.