CVE-2019-20685 in D3600
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by a stack-based buffer overflow by an unauthenticated attacker. This affects D3600 before 1.0.0.75, D6000 before 1.0.0.75, D6200 before 1.1.00.32, D7000 before 1.0.1.68, DM200 before 1.0.0.58, JR6150 before 1.0.1.18, PR2000 before 1.0.0.28, R6020 before 1.0.0.38, R6050 before 1.0.1.18, R6080 before 1.0.0.38, R6120 before 1.0.0.46, R6220 before 1.1.0.80, R6260 before 1.1.0.40, R6700v2 before 1.2.0.36, R6800 before 1.2.0.36, R6900v2 before 1.2.0.36, WNR2020 before 1.1.0.62, and XR500 before 2.3.2.32.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow condition that affects multiple NETGEAR router models, creating a significant security risk for network infrastructure. The flaw exists within the device's firmware handling mechanisms, specifically in how the system processes incoming data through network interfaces. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered remotely from any network location. The affected devices include a broad range of consumer and small office routers, with specific firmware versions identified as vulnerable across various product lines including the D3600, D6000, R6020, and R6800 series among others.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs when the device receives malformed input data that exceeds the allocated stack buffer space, causing memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected systems. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which specifically addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows data to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is enhanced by the fact that no authentication is required, meaning attackers can initiate the attack from external networks without needing valid credentials or physical access to the device. The attack surface is further expanded through the use of the Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) framework as defined by MITRE ATT&CK, where this vulnerability could serve as an initial access vector for more sophisticated attack campaigns.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and confidentiality of network traffic passing through the affected routers. Network administrators face the challenge of securing devices that may have been compromised without their knowledge, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent backdoors, intercept communications, or redirect traffic to malicious endpoints. The widespread nature of affected models means that organizations and individuals using these devices face significant exposure, particularly in enterprise environments where multiple vulnerable routers may exist across different network segments. The vulnerability also creates a risk of denial of service conditions where successful exploitation could cause device reboot cycles or complete system failure, disrupting network connectivity for all connected devices.
Mitigation strategies must focus on immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the buffer overflow condition, as well as network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also reviewing device configurations to ensure that unnecessary services are disabled. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation as outlined in industry standards such as the OWASP Top Ten, where buffer overflows represent one of the most critical security concerns in network infrastructure devices. Network security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically designed to identify exploitation attempts targeting known buffer overflow vulnerabilities, and establish incident response procedures that include device isolation and forensic analysis capabilities. Given the nature of the vulnerability, regular security assessments of network infrastructure should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by malicious actors.