CVE-2019-16641 in EG-2000
Summary
by MITRE • 07/16/2024
An issue was found on the Ruijie EG-2000 series gateway. There is a buffer overflow in client.so. Consequently, an attacker can use login.php to login to any account, without providing its password. This affects EG-2000SE EG_RGOS 11.1(1)B1.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-16641 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Ruijie EG-2000 series network gateway devices, specifically affecting the EG-2000SE model running EG_RGOS 11.1(1)B1 firmware version. This security weakness resides in the client.so library component, which processes authentication requests through the login.php web interface. The buffer overflow vulnerability occurs when the system fails to properly validate input data length during the authentication process, creating an exploitable condition that allows unauthorized access to network resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation mechanisms within the client.so library module. When an attacker submits authentication credentials through the login.php interface, the system does not adequately check the length of the input parameters before processing them in memory. This allows maliciously crafted input data to overflow the allocated buffer space, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking permits memory corruption, and represents a classic example of stack-based buffer overflow as defined by CWE-122.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for network security infrastructure. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized administrative access to the gateway without requiring legitimate credentials, effectively bypassing the entire authentication mechanism. This unauthorized access enables malicious actors to manipulate network configurations, intercept traffic, modify firewall rules, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of all network communications passing through the compromised gateway, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on Ruijie EG-2000 series devices for network security. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078.004 which covers legitimate credentials, specifically focusing on valid accounts for unauthorized access.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement emergency mitigations including firmware updates from Ruijie Networks, network segmentation to limit access to affected devices, and enhanced monitoring of authentication attempts. The recommended remediation strategy involves applying the latest firmware patches that address the buffer overflow condition in client.so library, implementing network access controls to restrict administrative access to these devices, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive network assessments to identify all affected devices and establish network monitoring protocols to detect unauthorized access attempts that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary administrative services, implementing strong network access controls, and maintaining detailed audit logs of all authentication activities for forensic analysis purposes.