CVE-2019-20754 in DGN2200
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by a buffer overflow by an authenticated user. This affects DGN2200 before 1.0.0.58, DGN2200B before 1.0.0.58, D8500 before 1.0.3.42, D7000v2 before 1.0.0.51, D6400 before 1.0.0.80, D6220 before 1.0.0.44, EX7000 before 1.0.0.66, EX6200 before 1.0.3.88, EX6150 before 1.0.0.42, EX7500 before 1.0.0.46, JNDR3000 before 1.0.0.24, R8000 before 1.0.4.18, R8500 before 1.0.2.122, R8300 before 1.0.2.122, R7900P before 1.4.0.10, R8000P before 1.4.0.10, R7900 before 1.0.2.16, R7000P before 1.3.1.44, R7300DST before 1.0.0.68, R7100LG before 1.0.0.46, R6900P before 1.3.1.44, R7000 before 1.0.9.32, R6900 before 1.0.1.46, R6700 before 1.0.1.46, R6400v2 before 1.0.2.56, R6400 before 1.0.1.42, R6300v2 before 1.0.4.28, R6250 before 1.0.4.26, WNDR4500v2 before 1.0.0.72, and WNR3500Lv2 before 1.2.0.54.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical buffer overflow flaw in NETGEAR router firmware that can be exploited by authenticated users with access to the device's web interface. The issue stems from improper input validation within the device's web management interface, where user-supplied data is not adequately sanitized before being processed by the underlying software components. The affected devices span multiple product lines including the DGN2200 series, R8000 series, EX series, and various other NETGEAR routers, all of which share a common firmware vulnerability that allows for arbitrary code execution when exploited. The buffer overflow occurs during the processing of HTTP POST requests sent to the device's web server, specifically when handling parameters related to network configuration and device management functions. This vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient space is allocated for data storage, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter usage in the context of remote code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it allows authenticated attackers to gain full administrative control over affected devices, potentially enabling them to modify network configurations, redirect traffic, install malicious firmware, or use the compromised devices as entry points for broader network attacks. Attackers who can access the device's web interface with valid credentials can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the router's processor, effectively taking complete control of the device. The affected firmware versions represent a significant portion of NETGEAR's router product line from 2017 through 2019, making this vulnerability particularly widespread in enterprise and home network environments. Network administrators who have not updated their devices to the latest firmware releases remain at risk, as the vulnerability persists in the affected software versions regardless of network segmentation or firewall configurations.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the buffer overflow vulnerability, with particular attention to devices running firmware versions prior to the specified patches. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect unusual traffic patterns or unauthorized configuration changes that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in embedded network devices, as outlined in the OWASP Top 10 security principles and NIST guidelines for embedded systems security. Additional defensive measures include restricting web interface access to trusted networks only, implementing strong authentication mechanisms, and regularly auditing device configurations to detect unauthorized modifications. Security teams should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious HTTP requests targeting known vulnerable parameters and establish incident response procedures for rapid remediation should exploitation be detected. The vulnerability underscores the critical need for regular firmware updates and proper security testing of network infrastructure devices, particularly those with web-based management interfaces that can be accessed by authenticated users.