CVE-2019-9653 in Network Video Recorder
Summary
by MITRE
NUUO Network Video Recorder Firmware 1.7.x through 3.3.x allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters to handle_load_config.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-9653 affects NUUO Network Video Recorder firmware versions 1.7.x through 3.3.x, representing a critical security flaw that enables unauthenticated remote command execution. This vulnerability resides within the handle_load_config.php script, which processes configuration data without proper input validation or sanitization. The flaw stems from insufficient filtering of user-supplied data, allowing attackers to inject shell metacharacters that are subsequently executed by the system. This represents a classic command injection vulnerability that violates fundamental security principles of input validation and output encoding.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the firmware's security architecture where the handle_load_config.php endpoint accepts external inputs without proper sanitization mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious payloads containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks that get interpreted by the underlying operating system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous for network video recording systems that are often deployed in security-critical environments. This flaw directly maps to CWE-77 which defines command injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is passed to system commands without proper validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-9653 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass complete system compromise and potential data exfiltration. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the web server process, potentially gaining access to sensitive video surveillance data, modifying system configurations, or establishing persistent backdoors. Network video recorders are frequently deployed in critical infrastructure environments including financial institutions, government facilities, and industrial control systems, making this vulnerability particularly concerning from a cybersecurity perspective. The lack of authentication requirements means that any network-connected system running the vulnerable firmware is immediately at risk, regardless of physical security measures in place.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate firmware updates from NUUO to address the command injection flaw in handle_load_config.php. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate affected devices and monitor for suspicious network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads targeting the vulnerable endpoint. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and input validation, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other networked devices, particularly those using embedded web interfaces that process external inputs without proper sanitization. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures to address potential compromise of surveillance systems, as these devices often contain sensitive operational data that could be leveraged for further attacks.