CVE-2020-11771 in D7800
Summary
by MITRE
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by stored XSS. This affects D7800 before 1.0.1.56, R7500v2 before 1.0.3.46, R7800 before 1.0.2.68, R8900 before 1.0.4.28, R9000 before 1.0.4.28, RAX120 before 1.0.0.78, XR500 before 2.3.2.56, and XR700 before 1.0.1.10.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-11771 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw affecting multiple NETGEAR networking devices, specifically targeting models including the D7800, R7500v2, R7800, R8900, R9000, RAX120, XR500, and XR700 series. This vulnerability resides within the web-based management interfaces of these devices, creating a persistent security risk that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the device's configuration or user interface elements. The flaw manifests when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being stored and subsequently rendered back to users, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the affected NETGEAR firmware implementations. When administrators or users interact with the web interface of these devices, any input fields that accept user data are susceptible to malicious script injection. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that once malicious code is injected, it persists within the device's configuration or user interface elements, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users who access the same management interface. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as Cross-Site Scripting, specifically the stored variant where the malicious script is permanently stored on the target server.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-11771 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to establish persistent access to network infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute malicious scripts that may steal administrative credentials, modify device configurations, redirect traffic, or even establish command and control channels. The affected device models represent various router and wireless access point configurations, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise and home network environments where these devices serve as critical infrastructure components. The vulnerability affects firmware versions prior to specific patch releases, indicating that organizations with legacy deployments are at heightened risk, as these devices may not receive regular security updates from manufacturers.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-11771 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the stored XSS vulnerability, with particular attention to the specified version numbers that contain the security fixes. Network administrators should implement additional security measures including network segmentation to limit access to management interfaces, employing network access control lists to restrict administrative access, and implementing robust monitoring for suspicious activity in device management interfaces. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as exploitation could enable attackers to execute malicious scripts, and T1566.001 for Phishing for Information, as attackers may use the stored XSS to capture credentials from administrators. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious script injection attempts, and establish comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all network infrastructure devices.