CVE-2019-20741 in WAC510
Summary
by MITRE
NETGEAR WAC510 devices before 5.0.10.2 are affected by disclosure of sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2024
The CVE-2019-20741 vulnerability affects NETGEAR WAC510 wireless access point devices running firmware versions prior to 5.0.10.2, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive system data to unauthorized parties. This vulnerability resides within the device's web-based management interface and stems from improper access controls and insufficient input validation mechanisms. The affected devices operate using embedded web servers that handle administrative requests without adequate authentication checks, allowing attackers to obtain confidential information through simple network requests. The vulnerability specifically impacts the device's configuration files, user credentials, and system parameters that should remain protected from external access.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the device's failure to properly validate and sanitize incoming HTTP requests to sensitive endpoints. Attackers can exploit this by sending crafted requests to the device's web interface, bypassing normal authentication mechanisms and gaining access to sensitive data that includes administrative credentials, network configuration parameters, and potentially other system-level information. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security practices in input validation and access control implementation, which aligns with CWE-20: Improper Input Validation and CWE-285: Improper Authorization. The flaw essentially creates an information exposure condition where sensitive data is accessible through predictable URI paths and request patterns that do not require valid authentication tokens or session management.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents significant risks to network security and device management integrity. An attacker who gains access to the device's sensitive information can potentially escalate privileges, modify network configurations, or use obtained credentials to access other network resources. The exposure of administrative credentials particularly undermines the security posture of the entire network infrastructure, as these credentials could be used to compromise additional devices or gain unauthorized access to network resources. The impact extends beyond individual device compromise to potential lateral movement within the network, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where multiple devices may be interconnected. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078: Valid Accounts, where attackers leverage compromised credentials to maintain persistent access to systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-20741 should focus on immediate firmware updates to version 5.0.10.2 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the information disclosure vulnerability. Network administrators should also implement additional security measures including network segmentation, firewall rules to restrict access to management interfaces, and regular security audits of network devices. The device should be configured to use strong authentication mechanisms, disable unnecessary services, and implement proper access controls through network access control lists. Organizations should also consider monitoring network traffic for suspicious requests to management interfaces and implementing intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and security updates should be part of the ongoing security program to prevent similar issues from occurring in other network infrastructure components.