CVE-2023-25280 in DIR820LA1
Summary
by MITRE • 03/16/2023
OS Command injection vulnerability in D-Link DIR820LA1_FW105B03 allows attackers to escalate privileges to root via a crafted payload with the ping_addr parameter to ping.ccp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical os command injection flaw in d-link dir820la1 router firmware version 105b03 which exposes a dangerous path traversal and privilege escalation vector. The vulnerability specifically affects the ping.ccp endpoint where the ping_addr parameter is processed without adequate input sanitization or validation. When an attacker submits a malicious payload through this parameter, the system executes arbitrary operating system commands with root privileges, effectively allowing complete system compromise. The flaw stems from improper handling of user-supplied input within the web interface component that processes network diagnostic commands.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-20 categories, representing command injection and input validation failures respectively. Attackers can exploit this by crafting a malicious ping_addr parameter that includes shell metacharacters such as semicolons, ampersands, or backticks which are then interpreted by the underlying shell during command execution. This allows adversaries to execute arbitrary commands on the device with the highest available privileges, potentially enabling full system takeover, data exfiltration, or establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic insufficient input sanitization issue where user-controllable data flows directly into system command execution contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass complete network infrastructure compromise. Once exploited, attackers can gain root access to the router's operating system, enabling them to modify firewall rules, redirect traffic, install malicious firmware, or use the device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the local network. This vulnerability particularly affects home and small office networks where routers often serve as the primary gateway and are frequently left unpatched. The attack surface is further expanded due to the widespread deployment of d-link dir820la1 models, making this a significant threat vector for network reconnaissance and lateral movement activities.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates from d-link to address the root cause of the vulnerability, while network administrators should implement additional defensive measures such as disabling unnecessary web management interfaces, restricting access to the router's administrative functions, and monitoring for suspicious ping command usage. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems should be configured to identify and block malicious command injection attempts targeting common router management endpoints. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of input validation and proper command execution practices as outlined in the mitre ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and command execution techniques. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their network infrastructure to identify similar unpatched devices and implement robust patch management processes to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.