CVE-2020-26906 in CBR40
Summary
by MITRE • 10/09/2020
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by disclosure of administrative credentials. This affects CBR40 before 2.5.0.10, RBK752 before 3.2.15.25, RBR750 before 3.2.15.25, RBS750 before 3.2.15.25, RBK852 before 3.2.10.11, RBR850 before 3.2.10.11, and RBS850 before 3.2.10.11.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-26906 represents a critical security flaw in several NETGEAR networking devices that exposes administrative credentials through improper information disclosure mechanisms. This vulnerability affects a range of router and bridge models including CBR40, RBK752, RBR750, RBS750, RBK852, RBR850, and RBS850, with specific firmware versions prior to the mentioned patches. The flaw allows unauthorized users to obtain administrative login credentials that should remain protected within the device's internal systems, fundamentally compromising the security posture of affected networks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and credential management within the affected device firmware. When these devices process certain network requests or provide specific responses, they inadvertently reveal administrative account credentials through debug interfaces, API endpoints, or configuration data retrieval mechanisms. This type of information disclosure vulnerability maps directly to CWE-200, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors. The flaw likely occurs through improper input validation or insufficient authentication checks during system operations that should be restricted to authorized administrative users only.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple credential exposure, creating significant risks for network security and integrity. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains full administrative control over the affected devices, enabling them to modify network configurations, implement malicious routing rules, disable security features, or establish persistent backdoors. This access level allows for comprehensive network reconnaissance and provides a foundation for further attacks within the compromised network infrastructure. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers valid accounts obtained through credential access, and T1566, which addresses credential harvesting through various attack vectors.
Organizations utilizing affected NETGEAR devices face substantial risk of network compromise, particularly in environments where these devices serve as critical network infrastructure components. The exposure of administrative credentials enables attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, redirect network traffic, or implement network segmentation bypasses that could affect thousands of connected devices. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects multiple device types within the same product line, suggesting a systemic flaw in the firmware development process rather than isolated incidents. Network administrators should immediately implement firmware updates to address this vulnerability and conduct comprehensive security assessments of their network infrastructure to identify any potential exploitation attempts that may have occurred prior to patching.