CVE-2021-45674 in R7000
Summary
by MITRE • 12/26/2021
Certain NETGEAR devices are affected by stored XSS. This affects R7000 before 1.0.11.110, R7900 before 1.0.4.30, R8000 before 1.0.4.62, RAX15 before 1.0.2.82, RAX20 before 1.0.2.82, RAX200 before 1.0.3.106, RAX75 before 1.0.3.106, and RAX80 before 1.0.3.106.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-45674 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw affecting multiple NETGEAR router models including R7000, R7900, R8000, and various RAX series devices. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the web interface of these networking devices, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited by remote attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated users. The affected firmware versions demonstrate a clear failure in implementing proper sanitization mechanisms for user-supplied data that is subsequently stored and rendered back to users, violating fundamental security principles of input validation and output encoding.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious input through the web administration interface of the affected devices, which is then stored in the device's configuration or logs. When legitimate users subsequently access the web interface to view this stored content, the malicious script executes in their browser context, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized administrative actions, or redirect users to malicious websites. This stored XSS vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the device's web management interface, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers who gain access to the device's network or who can influence users to interact with compromised administrative interfaces. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting flaws as the improper handling of untrusted data within web applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers the use of malicious content through web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to gain persistent access to network infrastructure through the compromised administrative interfaces. Network administrators who regularly access these devices for management purposes become potential victims of the stored XSS attack, with the malicious scripts capable of capturing authentication credentials, modifying device configurations, or establishing backdoors for continued access. The widespread nature of the affected device models means that numerous network environments could be compromised simultaneously, particularly in enterprise or residential networks where multiple devices from the same manufacturer are deployed. The vulnerability's persistence stems from the stored nature of the attack vector, meaning that once the malicious payload is injected, it remains active until the device is rebooted or the stored data is manually removed, creating a long-term security risk that can be exploited repeatedly.
Organizations should immediately implement firmware updates from NETGEAR to address this vulnerability, as the affected versions contain known security flaws that have been patched in subsequent releases. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit administrative access to these devices, while implementing additional monitoring for suspicious activity in device management interfaces. The remediation process should include thorough auditing of all affected device configurations and the implementation of web application firewalls or security monitoring tools to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any other potentially vulnerable devices within their network infrastructure, as this vulnerability may indicate broader security gaps in device management practices. Regular security awareness training for network administrators can help prevent social engineering attacks that might be used to gain initial access to these administrative interfaces, while implementing multi-factor authentication for device access can provide additional protection layers against unauthorized access attempts.