CVE-2021-45602 in D7800
Summary
by MITRE • 12/26/2021
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by command injection by an authenticated user. This affects D7800 before 1.0.1.66, EX2700 before 1.0.1.68, WN3000RPv2 before 1.0.0.90, WN3000RPv3 before 1.0.2.100, LBR1020 before 2.6.5.20, LBR20 before 2.6.5.32, R6700AX before 1.0.10.110, R7800 before 1.0.2.86, R8900 before 1.0.5.38, R9000 before 1.0.5.38, RAX10 before 1.0.10.110, RAX120v1 before 1.2.3.28, RAX120v2 before 1.2.3.28, RAX70 before 1.0.10.110, RAX78 before 1.0.10.110, XR450 before 2.3.2.130, XR500 before 2.3.2.130, and XR700 before 1.0.1.46.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2021
This vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw affecting multiple NETGEAR wireless routers and networking devices, classified under CWE-77 as improper neutralization of special elements used in a command. The vulnerability exists in the web-based administration interface of affected devices, where authenticated users can exploit insufficient input validation to inject arbitrary commands that are subsequently executed by the device's underlying operating system. The flaw stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied parameters passed to system commands, creating a pathway for malicious command execution that bypasses normal authentication mechanisms. Attackers with valid credentials can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized control over device functions, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized network access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the device's web server component that processes administrative requests. When users submit configuration changes through the web interface, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize input parameters before incorporating them into system commands. This allows an authenticated user to inject malicious commands that are executed with the privileges of the web server process, typically running with elevated system permissions. The vulnerability affects a broad range of NETGEAR products including routers, access points, and wireless networking equipment, with specific versions listed in the CVE details. The impacted devices operate on embedded operating systems that are particularly susceptible to command injection attacks when input validation is insufficient.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, creating significant security risks for network infrastructure. An authenticated attacker can execute arbitrary commands on the affected devices, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or network disruption. The vulnerability allows attackers to modify device configurations, install malicious firmware, or redirect network traffic through the compromised devices. This represents a substantial risk to enterprise networks where these devices serve as primary access points or network gateways, as the compromised device can become a pivot point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability also impacts the device's ability to maintain secure communications and can result in unauthorized access to sensitive network resources.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the command injection flaw, as recommended by the vendor. Organizations should implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to affected devices, using intrusion detection systems to identify suspicious command execution patterns. Network administrators should enforce strict access controls and implement multi-factor authentication for administrative access to these devices. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, where adversaries execute commands through legitimate system interfaces. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all network devices to identify similar command injection vulnerabilities and establish regular patch management procedures to address future security flaws. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous command execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.