CVE-2018-21132 in WAC505
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by authentication bypass. This affects WAC505 before 5.0.0.17 and WAC510 before 5.0.0.17.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-21132 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw affecting specific NETGEAR wireless access controller devices. This vulnerability impacts the WAC505 and WAC510 models prior to firmware version 5.0.0.17, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these network devices for wireless infrastructure management. The flaw allows unauthorized users to bypass the authentication mechanism and gain administrative access to the affected devices, potentially enabling full control over the wireless network infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication checks within the device's web interface implementation. The flaw likely exists in the way the device processes authentication requests or validates user credentials, allowing an attacker to exploit a logic error or missing security controls. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-287 which specifically addresses improper authentication issues, where the system fails to properly verify the identity of users attempting to access protected resources. The authentication bypass occurs at the application layer, affecting the device's web management interface that administrators use to configure and monitor wireless access points.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it provides attackers with complete administrative privileges over the affected wireless access controllers. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can modify wireless network configurations, create unauthorized user accounts, monitor network traffic, and potentially disrupt wireless services. This could result in unauthorized network access, data exfiltration, and denial of service conditions affecting legitimate users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where wireless access controllers manage multiple access points and serve as central points of network control. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1046 which covers network service scanning, as attackers could use this bypass to establish persistent access and further explore the network.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to the latest firmware versions for affected WAC505 and WAC510 devices, which contain patches addressing the authentication bypass flaw. Network segmentation should be implemented to isolate these devices from critical network segments, and access controls should be tightened to limit who can reach the devices. Regular security assessments and network monitoring should be conducted to detect any unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network access control measures and monitoring for unusual authentication patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of timely firmware updates and proper security testing of network infrastructure devices, as these authentication bypass flaws can have far-reaching consequences for network security posture and organizational compliance requirements.