CVE-2018-21228 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, EX6100v2 before 1.0.1.50, EX6150v2 before 1.0.1.50, EX6200v2 before 1.0.1.44, EX6400 before 1.0.1.60, EX7300 before 1.0.1.60, R6100 before 1.0.1.16, R7500 before 1.0.0.110, R7800 before 1.0.2.32, R9000 before 1.0.2.30, WN3000RPv3 before 1.0.2.50, 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 inadequate input validation and sanitization within the web interface authentication mechanism, creating a pathway for privilege escalation and remote code execution. The vulnerability affects a broad range of NETGEAR routers and access points spanning multiple product lines including the D7800, EX6100v2, EX6150v2, EX6200v2, EX6400, EX7300, R6100, R7500, R7800, R9000, WN3000RPv3, WNDR4300v2, and WNDR4500v3 models. The affected firmware versions indicate that this issue has persisted across multiple generations of devices, suggesting a fundamental flaw in the software architecture rather than a one-time coding error. According to CWE-77, this vulnerability maps directly to command injection flaws where user-supplied data is improperly incorporated into system commands without adequate sanitization. The attack vector requires an authenticated user, meaning that an attacker must first obtain valid credentials to exploit this vulnerability, which reduces the initial attack surface but still represents a significant security risk.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as authenticated command injection can enable complete device compromise and potential network infiltration. An attacker with valid credentials could execute arbitrary system commands, potentially gaining root access to the device's operating system, modifying network configurations, redirecting traffic, or establishing persistent backdoors. The affected devices typically serve as network gateways and access points, making them prime targets for attackers seeking to establish footholds within larger networks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command execution and privilege escalation, potentially enabling lateral movement within compromised networks. The widespread nature of affected models suggests that organizations with multiple NETGEAR devices across their infrastructure face a collective security risk, as exploitation of this vulnerability could provide attackers with access to critical network infrastructure components. Network segmentation and device hardening become particularly important when dealing with such vulnerabilities, as they can serve as attack vectors for more sophisticated multi-stage attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR, which address the underlying input validation issues and prevent command injection attacks. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected devices to their latest firmware versions, particularly those running vulnerable firmware versions as specified in the CVE details. Network administrators should implement additional security controls including regular credential rotation, limiting administrative access to authorized personnel only, and monitoring for unusual network behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices, particularly in web interfaces where user input must be rigorously validated and sanitized before being processed by the system. From a compliance standpoint, this vulnerability may impact organizations subject to regulatory frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, or NIST cybersecurity standards, as it represents a known weakness in network infrastructure security that could lead to unauthorized access or data breaches. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should include checks for similar command injection vulnerabilities in network equipment, as these flaws often indicate broader architectural security issues that may affect other components within the network infrastructure.