CVE-2020-9420 in VRV9506JAC23
Summary
by MITRE • 12/14/2022
The login password of the web administrative dashboard in Arcadyan Wifi routers VRV9506JAC23 is sent in cleartext, allowing an attacker to sniff and intercept traffic to learn the administrative credentials to the router.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9420 affects Arcadyan Wifi routers of the VRV9506JAC23 model and represents a critical security flaw in the administrative dashboard communication protocol. This issue stems from the improper implementation of secure communication channels during the authentication process, where administrative credentials are transmitted without any encryption or security measures. The flaw exposes the router's administrative interface to passive network monitoring attacks, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network traffic is not properly secured or segmented. The vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles regarding the protection of sensitive information during transmission, as outlined in security frameworks such as the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the web-based administrative interface failing to utilize secure communication protocols such as HTTPS or TLS encryption for transmitting authentication credentials. When users access the router's administrative dashboard, their login credentials are sent over the network in plain text format, making them easily accessible to any network observer with minimal technical expertise. This cleartext transmission of credentials creates a significant attack surface that aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information) classifications. The flaw essentially transforms what should be a secure administrative session into an open conduit for credential theft, enabling attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks or simply monitor network traffic to capture authentication information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, creating potential for complete network compromise and unauthorized administrative control of affected devices. Once an attacker obtains the administrative credentials through traffic interception, they gain full access to the router's configuration settings, including the ability to modify network configurations, change firewall rules, implement DNS hijacking, or establish persistent backdoors. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise and residential networks where the router serves as a primary gateway, as it provides attackers with a direct pathway to compromise the entire network infrastructure. The attack vector is relatively simple to execute, requiring only basic network monitoring tools such as tcpdump or Wireshark to capture the cleartext credentials during normal administrative sessions, making it a highly attractive target for both automated scanning tools and skilled attackers.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-9420 should focus on immediate implementation of secure communication protocols and network segmentation measures. Organizations should ensure that all administrative interfaces utilize encrypted connections through HTTPS with strong TLS protocols, and that network traffic is properly segmented to limit the exposure of administrative interfaces to untrusted networks. Network administrators should implement network monitoring solutions to detect and alert on suspicious traffic patterns, while also ensuring that default administrative credentials are changed immediately upon device deployment. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure configuration management practices and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing for Information) as attackers can leverage stolen administrative credentials to maintain persistence and escalate privileges within compromised networks. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar unencrypted administrative interfaces, while device firmware updates should be implemented promptly when available to address the underlying implementation flaw in the affected router models.