CVE-2021-45550 in D3600
Summary
by MITRE • 12/26/2021
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by command injection by an authenticated user. This affects D3600 before 1.0.0.76, D6000 before 1.0.0.78, D6100 before 1.0.0.63, D6220 before 1.0.0.52, D6400 before 1.0.0.86, D7800 before 1.0.1.56, D8500 before 1.0.3.44, DGN2200Bv4 before 1.0.0.109, DGN2200v4 before 1.0.0.110, R6250 before 1.0.4.34, R6300v2 before 1.0.4.34, R6400 before 1.0.1.46, R6400v2 before 1.0.2.66, R6700 before 1.0.2.6, R6700v3 before 1.0.2.66, R6900 before 1.0.2.4, R6900P before 1.3.1.64, R7000 before 1.0.9.42, R7000P before 1.3.1.64, R7100LG before 1.0.0.50, R7300 before 1.0.0.70, R7900 before 1.0.3.8, R7900P before 1.4.1.30, R8000 before 1.0.4.28, R8000P before 1.4.1.30, R8300 before 1.0.2.128, R8500 before 1.0.2.128, WNDR3400v3 before 1.0.1.24, WNR3500Lv2 before 1.2.0.62, and XR500 before 2.3.2.56.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw in NETGEAR networking equipment that allows authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands on affected devices. The issue stems from insufficient input validation within the device's web interface and management protocols, enabling malicious actors who have gained legitimate access to the device to escalate their privileges and execute system-level commands. The vulnerability affects a wide range of NETGEAR router models across multiple product lines including the D series, R series, and various other device types, with specific version thresholds indicating the scope of impacted firmware releases.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-77 which specifically addresses command injection flaws in software applications. When an authenticated user submits malicious input through web forms or API endpoints, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape the input before passing it to underlying system commands. This creates an environment where attackers can inject operating system commands that execute with the privileges of the web server process, typically running with administrative rights on the device. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires only authentication, meaning that an attacker who has obtained legitimate login credentials for the device can leverage this flaw to gain complete control.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass full device compromise and potential network infiltration. Once an attacker gains command execution capability, they can modify device configurations, install malicious firmware, redirect network traffic, or use the device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network. The affected devices often serve as core networking infrastructure, making their compromise particularly damaging to overall network security. Additionally, since many of these devices are deployed in residential and small business environments, the vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent backdoors or use the devices for distributed denial-of-service attacks against other targets.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR, as the company has released patches addressing this specific issue. Network administrators should also implement strict access controls and monitor for unusual network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms, highlighting the need for comprehensive monitoring of administrative activities. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential damage from a compromised device and ensure that only authorized personnel have access to administrative interfaces. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other network infrastructure components, as this type of command injection vulnerability is not uncommon in embedded networking devices due to their complex software implementations and limited security testing during development cycles.