CVE-2022-28935 in A800R
Summary
by MITRE • 07/06/2022
Totolink A830R V5.9c.4729_B20191112, Totolink A3100R V4.1.2cu.5050_B20200504, Totolink A950RG V4.1.2cu.5161_B20200903, Totolink A800R V4.1.2cu.5137_B20200730, Totolink A3000RU V5.9c.5185_B20201128, Totolink A810R V4.1.2cu.5182_B20201026 were discovered to contain a command injection vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-28935 represents a critical command injection flaw affecting multiple Totolink router models including A830R, A3100R, A950RG, A800R, A3000RU, and A810R. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the web interface of these network devices, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected systems. The affected versions demonstrate a fundamental lack of proper sanitization mechanisms for user-supplied data passed to system commands, creating an exploitable entry point that bypasses normal authentication and authorization controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through the improper handling of parameters in the device's web management interface. When users interact with specific web forms or API endpoints, the system fails to adequately validate or sanitize input data before incorporating it into system commands. This design flaw enables attackers to inject malicious commands that get executed with the privileges of the web server process, typically running with administrative rights on the router. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-77 as "Command Injection," which is a well-documented weakness in software development practices where user-controllable data is directly used in command construction without proper validation or escaping mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to network security as it allows remote code execution without requiring authentication. Attackers can leverage this weakness to gain full administrative control over the affected routers, potentially leading to complete network compromise. The impact extends beyond individual device compromise to encompass entire network infrastructures, as compromised routers can serve as stepping stones for lateral movement and further attacks. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target these devices from anywhere on the internet, making the attack surface particularly broad. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1021.001 for Remote Services, as the vulnerability enables both command execution and remote access to network services.
The affected Totolink models represent a significant portion of consumer and small office network equipment that has been deployed without adequate security controls. These devices typically serve as the primary gateway for home and small business networks, making their compromise particularly damaging. The vulnerability affects multiple generations of routers, indicating a systemic issue in the development lifecycle rather than an isolated incident. The specific versions mentioned suggest that the flaw has persisted across several firmware releases, highlighting potential gaps in security testing and code review processes. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader class of issues affecting embedded network devices, where security is often an afterthought rather than a fundamental design principle. The lack of proper input validation represents a failure to implement basic security controls that are standard in modern software development practices.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate firmware updates from Totolink, as these are likely to contain patches addressing the command injection flaw. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of device compromise and monitor for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network access controls to restrict access to router management interfaces to only trusted IP addresses and employ network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous command execution patterns. The vulnerability underscores the importance of regularly updating embedded devices and conducting security assessments of network infrastructure components, particularly those with web-based management interfaces that are accessible from external networks.