CVE-2020-26909 in D7800
Summary
by MITRE • 10/09/2020
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by command injection by an unauthenticated attacker. This affects D7800 before 1.0.1.58 and R7500v2 before 1.0.3.48.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-26909 represents a critical command injection flaw affecting specific NETGEAR networking devices including the D7800 and R7500v2 models. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected devices, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized network access. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation within the device's web interface handling mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute harmful commands without requiring authentication credentials. The affected firmware versions demonstrate a clear failure in implementing proper security controls to prevent command injection attacks, which is a fundamental weakness in network device security architecture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input parameters within the device's web administration interface. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that bypass authentication mechanisms and directly interface with the underlying operating system commands. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-77, which defines command injection as a weakness where an attacker can inject operating system commands through vulnerable input points. The vulnerability exists in the device's handling of HTTP parameters, particularly those related to diagnostic and administrative functions, where input validation is insufficient to prevent malicious command execution. Network protocols and web interface implementations fail to properly escape or filter user-controllable data, creating a direct pathway for arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as compromised devices can serve as entry points for broader network infiltration attacks. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they gain full administrative control over the affected router, enabling them to modify network configurations, redirect traffic, monitor communications, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. This represents a significant threat to network security and can lead to data breaches, man-in-the-middle attacks, and service disruption. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that any individual with network access can exploit this vulnerability without requiring prior credentials, making it particularly dangerous in environments where physical access to network infrastructure is possible. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script injection, which describes how adversaries can execute commands on compromised systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-26909 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the underlying command injection vulnerability. Network administrators must ensure that all affected devices are updated to patched firmware versions that implement proper input validation and sanitization measures. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit potential attack vectors and reduce the impact of any successful exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and network monitoring should be conducted to detect any anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware and implementing proper security controls such as input validation, authentication requirements, and network access controls to prevent similar command injection attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing network intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious command execution patterns and establish incident response procedures for handling potential exploitation attempts.