CVE-2019-20674 in RBR20
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by stored XSS. This affects RBR20 before 2.3.5.26, RBS20 before 2.3.5.26, RBK20 before 2.3.5.26, RBR40 before 2.3.5.30, RBS40 before 2.3.5.30, RBK40 before 2.3.5.30, RBR50 before 2.3.5.30, RBS50 before 2.3.5.30, and RBK50 before 2.3.5.30.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2019-20674 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw affecting multiple NETGEAR router models including RBR20, RBS20, RBK20, RBR40, RBS40, RBK40, RBR50, RBS50, and RBK50. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1212 for exploitation of web application vulnerabilities. The affected devices are vulnerable when running firmware versions prior to 2.3.5.26 for the 20 series models and 2.3.5.30 for the 40 and 50 series models, indicating a widespread issue across NETGEAR's business class networking equipment.
The technical flaw manifests in how these NETGEAR devices handle user input within their web-based management interfaces. When an attacker successfully injects malicious script code through a vulnerable input field, the script gets stored on the device's server and subsequently executed whenever a user accesses the affected web interface. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists even after the initial injection, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users who access the device management interface. The vulnerability exists in the device's handling of user-supplied data that is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered back to users.
The operational impact of this stored XSS vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on these NETGEAR devices for network infrastructure. An attacker who gains access to the device management interface could execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to complete device compromise, unauthorized network access, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability creates a persistent backdoor that could allow attackers to maintain access even after the initial compromise, as the malicious script remains stored on the device. Network administrators who regularly access these devices for management purposes would be at risk of executing malicious code simply by viewing the affected web interface, making this a particularly insidious threat vector.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-20674 should prioritize immediate firmware updates to versions 2.3.5.26 or later for the 20 series and 2.3.5.30 or later for the 40 and 50 series devices. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to device management interfaces, restrict administrative access to only trusted users, and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script execution attempts. Additionally, regular security audits of network infrastructure should be conducted to identify potentially vulnerable devices, and network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping network infrastructure firmware updated and implementing proper input validation controls as recommended by industry standards including NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 security requirements.