CVE-2018-21162 in D6400
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by command injection by an unauthenticated attacker. This affects D6400 before 1.0.0.78, EX6200 before 1.0.3.86, EX7000 before 1.0.0.64, R6250 before 1.0.4.8, R6300v2 before 1.0.4.6, R6400 before 1.0.1.12, R6700 before 1.0.1.16, R7000 before 1.0.7.10, R7100LG before 1.0.0.42, R7300DST before 1.0.0.44, R7900 before 1.0.1.12, R8000 before 1.0.3.36, R8300 before 1.0.2.74, R8500 before 1.0.2.74, WNDR3400v3 before 1.0.1.14, and WNR3500Lv2 before 1.2.0.48.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw in NETGEAR networking equipment that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected devices. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the web interface of these routers, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject and execute system commands without requiring authentication credentials. The vulnerability affects a broad range of NETGEAR router models including the D6400, EX6200, EX7000, and various R-series and WNR-series devices, with specific firmware version thresholds indicating the scope of impacted releases. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-77 which specifically addresses command injection flaws in software systems, making it a well-documented and dangerous class of security weakness.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the device's command processing mechanisms through crafted input parameters in web requests. When an unauthenticated user submits specially crafted payloads to the affected router's web interface, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the input before executing any commands. This allows the attacker to inject operating system commands that are then executed with the privileges of the web server process, typically running with elevated permissions on the device. The impact extends beyond simple command execution as these routers often serve as central points in home and small office networks, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to establish persistent access or conduct further network reconnaissance.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security implications for affected networks. An attacker could potentially gain complete control over the compromised router, enabling them to modify network configurations, redirect traffic, implement man-in-the-middle attacks, or establish backdoors for future access. The unauthenticated nature of the exploit means that no prior credentials are required, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone who can reach the device's web interface. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and script injection, T1021 for remote services, and T1046 for network service scanning. The affected devices typically operate in environments where they are not regularly updated or monitored, increasing the window of opportunity for exploitation.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the identified command injection vulnerability, as the company has released patches for all affected models. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation to limit access to these devices, disable unnecessary services, and monitor for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, disabling remote management features when not required, and conducting regular security audits of network infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify command injection attempts and maintain up-to-date threat intelligence feeds to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting these specific router models. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining current firmware versions and implementing proper network security controls to protect against remote code execution flaws in network infrastructure devices.