CVE-2019-20717 in D3600
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by denial of service. This affects D3600 before 1.0.0.75, D6000 before 1.0.0.75, D7800 before 1.0.1.44, EX2700 before 1.0.1.52, EX6200v2 before 1.0.1.74, EX8000 before 1.0.1.180, R7500v2 before 1.0.3.38, R7800 before 1.0.2.58, RBK20 before 2.3.0.28, RBR20 before 2.3.0.28, RBS20 before 2.3.0.28, RBK50 before 2.3.0.32, RBR50 before 2.3.0.32, RBS50 before 2.3.0.32, RBS40 before 2.3.0.28, SRK60 before 2.2.1.210, SRR60 before 2.2.1.210, SRS60 before 2.2.1.210, WN2000RPTv3 before 1.0.1.34, WN3000RPv2 before 1.0.0.68, WN3000RPv3 before 1.0.2.70, WN3100RPv2 before 1.0.0.60, WNDR4300v2 before 1.0.0.58, and WNDR4500v3 before 1.0.0.58.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2024
This vulnerability affects multiple NETGEAR wireless routers and networking devices, specifically targeting their denial of service capabilities. The issue manifests in devices running firmware versions prior to the specified thresholds, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited to disrupt network services. The affected product line includes various models from different series including D3600, D6000, D7800, EX2700, EX6200v2, EX8000, R7500v2, R7800, RBK20, RBR20, RBS20, RBK50, RBR50, RBS50, RBS40, SRK60, SRR60, SRS60, WN2000RPTv3, WN3000RPv2, WN3000RPv3, WN3100RPv2, WNDR4300v2, and WNDR4500v3. These devices operate within the consumer and small office networking space, making them critical infrastructure components for countless users and organizations.
The technical flaw underlying this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling mechanisms within the device's web management interface or network services. When subjected to malformed requests or specific network traffic patterns, the affected devices fail to properly process these inputs, leading to system instability or complete service disruption. This behavior aligns with common denial of service attack patterns where malicious actors exploit implementation weaknesses to cause system failures. The vulnerability can be triggered through network-based attacks without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it allows remote exploitation from any location with network access to the device. According to the CWE classification system, this vulnerability represents a weakness in input validation and error handling, specifically categorized under CWE-20 as "Improper Input Validation" and potentially CWE-400 as "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" when considering the resource exhaustion aspects of denial of service attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, creating cascading effects throughout network infrastructure and potentially compromising business continuity for affected organizations. When exploited, these devices become unavailable to legitimate users, disrupting internet connectivity and network services for all connected devices. The vulnerability affects devices that are widely deployed in residential and small business environments, where network downtime can result in significant productivity losses and communication failures. Network administrators face the challenge of identifying and patching multiple device models across their infrastructure, often without the ability to remotely monitor all affected devices. The vulnerability's exploitation can occur through simple network scanning and automated attack tools, making it accessible to threat actors with minimal technical expertise. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1499.004 as "Endpoint Denial of Service" and T1595.001 as "Network Denial of Service", representing the attack tactics and techniques that threat actors would employ to exploit such weaknesses.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the underlying implementation flaws in the affected devices. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected devices to the latest firmware versions provided by the manufacturer, as these updates contain patches specifically designed to resolve the denial of service conditions. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of these devices to untrusted networks, while monitoring systems should be deployed to detect potential exploitation attempts. Device administrators should consider disabling unnecessary services and ports on affected routers, particularly those related to web management interfaces that may be vulnerable to the attack vectors. Regular vulnerability assessments and network scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining unpatched devices within the network infrastructure, as the exploitation of these vulnerabilities can lead to extended periods of service disruption that impact business operations and user productivity. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware in network infrastructure devices and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws can result in significant security risks across consumer and enterprise network environments.