CVE-2019-20691 in D3600
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by CSRF. This affects D3600 before 1.0.0.72, D6000 before 1.0.0.72, EX3700 before 1.0.0.70, EX3800 before 1.0.0.70, EX6000 before 1.0.0.30, EX6100 before 1.0.2.24, EX6120 before 1.0.0.40, EX6130 before 1.0.0.22, EX6150v1 before 1.0.0.42, EX6200 before 1.0.3.88, EX7000 before 1.0.0.66, and WN2500RPv2 before 1.0.1.54.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-20691 represents a cross-site request forgery flaw affecting multiple NETGEAR wireless routers and access points. This CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper validation mechanisms to verify the authenticity of requests originating from authorized users within the device's administrative interface. The affected devices operate under specific firmware versions where the web-based management interface fails to implement adequate anti-CSRF tokens or other protective measures. The vulnerability specifically impacts a range of consumer and small office networking equipment including various EX and D series routers, with each model having distinct version thresholds where the issue persists. This flaw allows an attacker to potentially manipulate device configurations without user consent or knowledge, creating a significant security risk for network administrators and end users who rely on these devices for their network infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability involves the manipulation of HTTP requests that modify device settings through the web interface. When users access the administrative panel of affected NETGEAR devices, the system should validate that requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. However, the vulnerable firmware versions lack proper request validation, allowing attackers to craft malicious web pages or exploit existing network conditions to submit unauthorized configuration changes. The flaw operates by leveraging the browser's automatic inclusion of authentication cookies when making requests to the device's management interface, enabling an attacker to perform actions such as changing administrator passwords, modifying network settings, disabling security features, or altering wireless configurations. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues in web applications and device management interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes to potentially compromise entire network infrastructures. An attacker exploiting this CSRF flaw could gain persistent control over affected devices, potentially leading to man-in-the-middle attacks, network disruption, or even complete network takeover. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for small office environments where network administrators may not have immediate visibility into unauthorized changes. The specific version ranges indicate that numerous devices released between 2018 and early 2019 remain vulnerable, suggesting that organizations may have been exposed to this risk for extended periods. Network security monitoring systems that rely on device integrity may not detect these changes unless specifically configured to monitor for unauthorized configuration modifications. The attack vector typically requires social engineering to convince users to visit malicious websites or click on compromised links, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users have administrative access to network devices.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-20691 focus primarily on firmware updates provided by NETGEAR, which address the missing CSRF protection mechanisms in the affected device versions. Organizations should immediately implement firmware updates to versions that include proper anti-CSRF token validation and session management controls. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to restrict direct administrative access to these devices from untrusted networks, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Security teams should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unauthorized configuration changes and establish baseline configurations for affected devices to quickly identify any modifications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing robust authentication and authorization controls in network device management interfaces, aligning with ATT&CK framework techniques related to privilege escalation and persistence through configuration changes. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of visiting untrusted websites and clicking on suspicious links remains critical in preventing exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability in real-world scenarios.