CVE-2019-20704 in D3600
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by command injection by an authenticated user. This affects D3600 before 1.0.0.76, D6000 before 1.0.0.76, and XR500 before 2.3.2.32.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw affecting multiple NETGEAR router models including the D3600 D6000 and XR500 series. The vulnerability allows authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands on affected devices through improperly validated input handling. The affected firmware versions demonstrate a failure in input sanitization mechanisms that enables attackers who have already gained user-level access to escalate their privileges and execute malicious code on the underlying operating system. This represents a significant security weakness in network infrastructure devices that could potentially allow attackers to gain complete control over the affected routers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied input within the device management interfaces. When authenticated users submit commands through web-based administrative panels or API endpoints, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape input parameters before processing them. This allows attackers to inject malicious commands that are then executed by the device's underlying shell or command processing engine. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category of command injection, which is classified as a high-risk vulnerability due to its potential for remote code execution and system compromise. The specific nature of the flaw indicates insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the web application framework of these devices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass full system compromise and potential network infiltration. An authenticated attacker could leverage this vulnerability to gain root access to the device, allowing them to modify network configurations, install malicious firmware, monitor network traffic, or use the compromised device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network. This vulnerability directly impacts the security posture of organizations relying on these devices, as it provides a path for attackers to establish persistent access points within their network infrastructure. The affected devices represent critical network components that, when compromised, can provide attackers with visibility into network traffic and the ability to manipulate network settings. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) techniques, demonstrating how authenticated access can be leveraged to achieve system-level compromise.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the input validation flaws in the affected device models. Organizations should ensure all affected devices are updated to firmware versions that properly sanitize user input and implement proper command escaping mechanisms. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit the scope of potential exploitation, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect anomalous command execution patterns. Additionally, administrators should review and restrict administrative access to these devices, implementing multi-factor authentication and limiting user privileges to the minimum required for operational tasks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in embedded network devices, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing and regular firmware updates to address emerging threats in network infrastructure components.