CVE-2019-20710 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 • 05/31/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw in NETGEAR networking equipment that allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected devices. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the web interface of specific router models, including the D3600, D6000, and XR500 series. The vulnerability exists in firmware versions prior to the specified patches, creating a persistent security risk for networks utilizing these devices. Attackers who can authenticate to the device through legitimate means can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized control over the affected routers.
The technical implementation of this command injection vulnerability occurs when the device fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input passed to system commands. This allows an authenticated user to inject malicious commands that are then executed with the privileges of the web server process. The flaw typically manifests in parameters that handle network configuration data, diagnostic commands, or other user-controllable inputs that are directly passed to system-level functions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88, which categorize command injection flaws as critical security weaknesses that enable arbitrary code execution. This type of vulnerability provides attackers with a direct path to compromise the device and potentially the entire network it serves as a gateway for.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to manipulate network traffic, redirect connections, modify firewall rules, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. An authenticated attacker can leverage this vulnerability to gain complete control over the router's functionality, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking network infiltration. The affected devices serve as primary network gateways, meaning successful exploitation could lead to widespread network disruption, data interception, or lateral movement within the enterprise environment. This vulnerability particularly concerns organizations that rely on legacy NETGEAR equipment, as these devices may not receive regular security updates, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate firmware updates to the latest versions that address this vulnerability, as provided by NETGEAR in their security advisories. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of device compromise and monitor network traffic for suspicious activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures include enforcing strong authentication mechanisms, implementing network access controls, and regularly auditing device configurations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control communications, privilege escalation, and persistence mechanisms. Organizations should also consider conducting vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected devices and establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts to network infrastructure components.