CVE-2018-21179 in D6100
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by a stack-based buffer overflow by an authenticated user. This affects D6100 before 1.0.0.57, D7800 before 1.0.1.30, R7500 before 1.0.0.122, R7500v2 before 1.0.3.24, R7800 before 1.0.2.40, R9000 before 1.0.2.52, WNDR3700v4 before 1.0.2.92, WNDR4300 before 1.0.2.94, WNDR4300v2 before 1.0.0.50, WNDR4500v3 before 1.0.0.50, and WNR2000v5 before 1.0.0.62.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw that affects multiple NETGEAR router models, specifically targeting devices with firmware versions prior to the listed secure releases. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the device's web interface handling mechanism, where authenticated users can exploit a flaw in the processing of user-supplied data. The buffer overflow occurs when the device fails to properly bounds-check input parameters, allowing an attacker with valid credentials to overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, which is classified as a serious software defect that can lead to arbitrary code execution and complete system compromise. The affected devices include a range of NETGEAR routers spanning different model lines including D6100, D7800, R7500, R7500v2, R7800, R9000, WNDR3700v4, WNDR4300, WNDR4300v2, WNDR4500v3, and WNR2000v5, all of which share a common vulnerability in their firmware implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected devices, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to the network. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain persistent access to the router's administrative interface, modify network configurations, redirect traffic, or establish backdoors for future access. The vulnerability exists within the web administration interface of these devices, making it accessible through standard web browser interactions. According to the ATT&CK framework, this represents a privilege escalation technique where an authenticated user can leverage a software vulnerability to gain elevated privileges and execute malicious code. The affected firmware versions indicate that this vulnerability has existed for several years, suggesting that many devices in the field remain unpatched and vulnerable to exploitation. The stack-based nature of the overflow means that the attacker can potentially overwrite return addresses and function pointers, enabling full control over the execution flow of the affected application.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the buffer overflow issue in the affected device models. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected routers to the latest firmware versions, particularly those listed in the CVE description, to eliminate the risk of exploitation. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit the potential impact if a device is compromised, including restricting administrative access to only necessary personnel and implementing strong authentication mechanisms. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues in network infrastructure devices. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unusual traffic patterns or unauthorized configuration changes. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in embedded systems, as highlighted by CWE-121 standards, which emphasize the need for developers to implement robust memory management practices to prevent such critical flaws from being introduced into production firmware. Given the nature of the vulnerability and its potential for remote code execution, immediate action is essential to protect network infrastructure from exploitation attempts targeting these specific NETGEAR device models.