CVE-2019-20690 in D6200
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by authentication bypass. This affects D6200 before 1.1.00.30, D7000 before 1.0.1.66, R6020 before 1.0.0.34, R6080 before 1.0.0.34, R6120 before 1.0.0.44, R6220 before 1.1.0.68, WNR2020 before 1.1.0.54, and WNR614 before 1.1.0.54.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-20690 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw affecting multiple NETGEAR router models, including the D6200, D7000, R6020, R6080, R6120, R6220, WNR2020, and WNR614 series. This weakness allows unauthorized users to gain administrative access to affected devices without proper authentication credentials, fundamentally compromising the security posture of network infrastructure. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of authentication tokens and session management within the affected firmware versions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to bypass the standard login procedures that should protect administrative functions.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves weaknesses in the web-based management interface of these devices, where the authentication mechanism fails to properly validate user credentials before granting access to administrative functions. This issue falls under CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication vulnerabilities, and specifically relates to CWE-305, which deals with authentication bypass through multiple attempts. The vulnerability exists due to inadequate session handling and token validation processes that allow attackers to manipulate or predict authentication tokens, effectively circumventing the security controls designed to protect network administration interfaces. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specific requests that bypass the normal authentication flow, gaining full administrative control over the affected routers.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-20690 is severe and far-reaching, as successful exploitation enables attackers to assume complete control over affected network devices. Once compromised, these routers can be used to redirect network traffic, modify firewall rules, change DNS settings, or even establish backdoors for persistent access. The vulnerability creates a significant risk for organizations relying on these devices for network security, as attackers can manipulate network configurations to create man-in-the-middle attacks, intercept communications, or disable security features. This authentication bypass also provides a potential entry point for broader network infiltration, as compromised routers can serve as stepping stones for attacking internal network resources, making the impact particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where these devices often form the boundary between internal networks and external threats.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the authentication bypass flaw in affected device models. Organizations should prioritize updating all impacted routers to the latest firmware versions that contain patches for this vulnerability, with particular attention to the specific version numbers mentioned in the CVE description. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual administrative access patterns, while administrators should disable unnecessary administrative services and interfaces to reduce the attack surface. The mitigation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and credential access, as this vulnerability essentially allows attackers to gain valid administrative access through bypass mechanisms rather than traditional credential theft methods. Additionally, network administrators should implement robust monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts and maintain detailed logs of administrative activities to facilitate incident response and forensic analysis.