CVE-2019-20730 in D6000
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by SQL injection. This affects D3600 before 1.0.0.68, D6000 before 1.0.0.68, D6200 before 1.1.00.28, D6220 before 1.0.0.40, D6400 before 1.0.0.74, D7000 before 1.0.1.60, D7000v2 before 1.0.0.74, D7800 before 1.0.1.34, D8500 before 1.0.3.39, DC112A before 1.0.0.40, EX8000 before 1.0.0.118, JR6150 before 1.0.1.18, R6050 before 1.0.1.18, R6220 before 1.1.0.66, R6250 before 1.0.4.26, R6300v2 before 1.0.4.24, R6400 before 1.0.1.36, R6400v2 before 1.0.2.52, R6700 before 1.0.1.44, R6700v2 before 1.2.0.16, R6800 before 1.2.0.16, R6900v2 before 1.2.0.16, R6900 before 1.0.1.44, R7000 before 1.0.9.26, R6900P before 1.3.0.20, R7000P before 1.3.0.20, R7100LG before 1.0.0.40, R7300DST before 1.0.0.62, R7500 before 1.0.0.118, R7500v2 before 1.0.3.26, R7800 before 1.0.2.40, R7900 before 1.0.2.10, R8000 before 1.0.4.12, R7900P before 1.3.0.10, R8000P before 1.3.0.10, R8300 before 1.0.2.116, R8500 before 1.0.2.116, R8900 before 1.0.3.6, R9000 before 1.0.3.10, WNDR3700v4 before 1.0.2.102, WNDR3700v5 before 1.1.0.54, WNDR4300v1 before 1.0.2.98, WNDR4300v2 before 1.0.0.56, and WNDR4500v3 before 1.0.0.56.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical sql injection flaw affecting numerous NETGEAR router models across multiple product lines including the D series, R series, and EX series devices. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the web interface of these networking devices, allowing remote attackers to inject malicious sql commands through improperly sanitized user inputs. The affected firmware versions span several generations of NETGEAR routers, indicating a widespread issue that impacts both consumer and small business networking equipment. This flaw exists in the authentication and configuration interfaces that handle user-supplied data, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can manipulate database queries to extract sensitive information, modify device configurations, or potentially gain unauthorized administrative access. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects devices that are widely deployed in home and small office environments where network security is often not properly managed, making these devices prime targets for exploitation.
The technical implementation of this sql injection vulnerability occurs when user inputs are directly concatenated into sql queries without proper sanitization or parameterization. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious payloads that manipulate the database queries executed by the router's web server component. This allows unauthorized access to the device's internal database, potentially exposing administrative credentials, network configuration details, and other sensitive information stored within the device's memory. The vulnerability specifically impacts the authentication mechanisms and administrative interfaces of these devices, enabling attackers to bypass normal access controls and gain elevated privileges. According to the common weakness enumeration framework, this represents a cwe-89 sql injection vulnerability that violates fundamental security principles of input validation and output encoding. The attack vector is typically remote and requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with network access to the affected device.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to completely compromise the affected networking devices. Once compromised, attackers can modify network settings, redirect traffic through malicious proxies, or use the device as a pivot point for attacks on other systems within the local network. The affected devices are commonly used in residential and small business environments where network monitoring is limited, making detection of such attacks difficult. The vulnerability also impacts the integrity and confidentiality of network communications, as attackers can potentially intercept and manipulate traffic flowing through these compromised devices. Network administrators may not realize their devices have been compromised until significant damage has occurred, as the attack can be conducted silently without generating obvious network anomalies. The widespread nature of the affected product line means that organizations with multiple NETGEAR devices are at risk, potentially creating a large attack surface for coordinated exploitation efforts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR, as the company has released patches addressing the sql injection flaw in affected versions. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected devices to the latest firmware versions available through NETGEAR's official support channels. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts, including monitoring for unusual traffic patterns or unauthorized access attempts to the device management interfaces. Access controls should be strengthened by changing default administrative credentials and implementing multi-factor authentication where possible. Network administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary services and interfaces on affected devices, particularly the web management interfaces, until patches can be applied. The attack technique employed in this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the mitre att&ck framework under the privilege escalation and persistence categories, as attackers can leverage the sql injection to establish long-term access to network infrastructure. Regular vulnerability assessments and network scanning should be conducted to identify any remaining unpatched devices within the network infrastructure, as these devices represent persistent security risks.