CVE-2023-0776 in Nova 436Q
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2023
Baicells Nova 436Q, Nova 430E, Nova 430I, and Neutrino 430 LTE TDD eNodeB devices with firmware through QRTB 2.12.7 are vulnerable to remote shell code exploitation via HTTP command injections. Commands are executed using pre-login execution and executed with root permissions. The following methods below have been tested and validated by a 3rd party analyst and has been confirmed exploitable special thanks to Rustam Amin for providing the steps to reproduce.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0776 affects Baicells Nova 436Q, Nova 430E, Nova 430I, and Neutrino 430 LTE TDD eNodeB devices operating on firmware versions up to QRTB 2.12.7. These network infrastructure devices serve as critical components in cellular telecommunications networks, functioning as base station equipment that facilitates wireless communication between mobile devices and the core network. The affected devices are particularly concerning as they represent fundamental building blocks of mobile infrastructure that, when compromised, can potentially disrupt cellular services across wide geographic areas. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the HTTP command injection mechanism, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected systems.
The technical flaw manifests through HTTP command injection vulnerabilities that allow attackers to inject malicious commands into the device's processing pipeline. These commands are executed during pre-login phases, meaning that authentication is not required to exploit the vulnerability, significantly reducing the attack barrier. The execution occurs with root permissions, which provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected devices. This privilege escalation capability enables unauthorized users to gain full system access, potentially allowing them to modify device configurations, intercept network traffic, disable security features, or even use the compromised devices as launching points for further attacks against the broader network infrastructure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-78 categories, representing command injection flaws that permit arbitrary command execution through unvalidated user inputs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as compromised eNodeB devices can severely disrupt cellular services and potentially enable large-scale surveillance or denial-of-service attacks. Attackers could manipulate network traffic routing, block legitimate communications, or establish backdoors for persistent access to the telecommunications infrastructure. The pre-login execution nature means that attackers can exploit this vulnerability without requiring valid credentials, making detection more difficult and potentially allowing for widespread compromise across multiple devices within a network. This vulnerability represents a significant threat to network security and can compromise the integrity and availability of cellular communications, particularly given the critical nature of these devices in maintaining mobile network connectivity for businesses and individuals.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Baicells to address the identified command injection vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement network segmentation to isolate these critical devices from general network traffic, employ network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous command execution patterns, and conduct regular security assessments of telecommunications infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of securing network infrastructure devices and implementing proper input validation mechanisms to prevent command injection attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically designed to monitor for HTTP command injection attempts and maintain detailed logs of device access and command execution for forensic analysis purposes. This vulnerability underscores the necessity of adhering to secure coding practices and regular security testing of network infrastructure components to prevent similar issues from compromising critical telecommunications services.