CVE-2018-21227 in D7800
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by command injection by an authenticated user. This affects D7800 before 1.0.1.34, R6400v2 before 1.0.2.34, R6700 before 1.0.1.30, R6900 before 1.0.1.30, R6900P before 1.0.0.62, R7000 before 1.0.9.12, R7000P before 1.0.0.62, R7500v2 before 1.0.3.26, R7800 before 1.0.2.42, R9000 before 1.0.3.10, WNDR4300v2 before 1.0.0.50, and WNDR4500v3 before 1.0.0.50.
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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 authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands on affected devices. The issue stems from improper input validation within the web interface of these routers and wireless access points, creating a pathway for privilege escalation through command injection attacks. The vulnerability affects multiple models across different product lines including the D7800, R6400v2, R6700, R6900, R6900P, R7000, R7000P, R7500v2, R7800, R9000, WNDR4300v2, and WNDR4500v3 series. The affected firmware versions demonstrate a pattern of inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input passed to system commands, which directly violates security best practices and creates a significant attack surface for malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the web administration interface where authenticated users can manipulate input fields that are subsequently passed to shell commands without proper sanitization. This creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious commands that execute with the privileges of the web server process, typically running with elevated system permissions. The vulnerability can be exploited through various parameters within the device management interface, allowing for arbitrary code execution that could include system shell commands, file manipulation, or network reconnaissance activities. This flaw aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-89 categories, which specifically address command injection vulnerabilities and improper neutralization of special elements used in commands. The attack vector leverages the principle of least privilege violation, where authenticated access can be escalated to system-level control.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete control over affected network infrastructure. Once exploited, attackers can modify router configurations, redirect network traffic, establish persistent backdoors, or use the device as a pivot point for attacks against internal networks. The affected devices typically serve as primary network gateways, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to compromise entire network segments. This vulnerability also creates opportunities for lateral movement within corporate networks, as routers often serve as critical infrastructure components that control network access and traffic flow. The exploitation of this vulnerability can result in data exfiltration, network disruption, or complete network compromise, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these devices are commonly deployed.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the root cause of the command injection vulnerability. Organizations must ensure all affected devices are updated to versions that properly sanitize user input before passing it to system commands. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit the impact of potential exploitation, including restricting administrative access to authorized personnel only. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in network infrastructure components. The implementation of network monitoring solutions can help detect anomalous behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts, while proper access controls and authentication mechanisms should be enforced to prevent unauthorized access to administrative interfaces. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on suspicious command execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter.