CVE-2021-45615 in CBR40
Summary
by MITRE • 12/26/2021
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by command injection by an unauthenticated attacker. This affects CBR40 before 2.5.0.24, CBR750 before 4.6.3.6, R7900P before 1.4.2.84, R7960P before 1.4.2.84, R8000P before 1.4.2.84, R8300 before 1.0.2.154, R8500 before 1.0.2.154, RBK752 before 3.2.17.12, RBR750 before 3.2.17.12, RBS750 before 3.2.17.12, RBK852 before 3.2.17.12, RBR850 before 3.2.17.12, and RBS850 before 3.2.17.12.
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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 unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected devices. The vulnerability affects multiple models within the CBR40, R7900P, R7960P, R8000P, R8300, R8500, RBK752, RBR750, RBS750, RBK852, RBR850, and RBS850 device families. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization in the web interface handling of specific parameters, creating a pathway for remote code execution without requiring authentication credentials. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-77 which specifically addresses command injection vulnerabilities where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of web interface parameters that are processed by the device's command execution engine. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that bypass authentication mechanisms and inject operating system commands directly into the device's processing pipeline. This allows for complete compromise of the affected network devices, enabling attackers to gain full administrative control over the affected routers and access points. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple command execution as it can be leveraged to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive network data, or disrupt network operations. The lack of authentication requirements makes this particularly dangerous as attackers can exploit the vulnerability from any network location without needing to first gain access credentials.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise and home network security as it enables attackers to compromise network infrastructure without detection. The affected devices serve as critical points of control within network environments, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for network integrity and security posture. The vulnerability affects both consumer and enterprise-grade devices, meaning that organizations with NETGEAR equipment may be at risk regardless of their network segmentation strategies. The command injection capability allows attackers to modify device configurations, redirect network traffic, or establish persistent access points that can be used for further network infiltration. The affected firmware versions span multiple release cycles, indicating that this vulnerability has existed for an extended period without proper mitigation, creating a window for exploitation by threat actors who may have already discovered and weaponized the flaw.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including firmware updates from NETGEAR to address the vulnerability, network segmentation to limit exposure of affected devices, and monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter indicates that attackers can leverage this flaw to execute malicious commands through the device's operating system shell. Additionally, implementing network access controls and disabling unnecessary services on affected devices can reduce the attack surface. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify any other vulnerable devices within the network infrastructure, as this vulnerability may be part of a broader pattern of security weaknesses in the affected product lines. The affected models represent a significant portion of NETGEAR's router and access point offerings, making this a widespread concern for network administrators who must prioritize remediation efforts across their entire device inventory.