CVE-2023-35722 in RAX30
Summary
by MITRE • 05/03/2024
NETGEAR RAX30 UPnP Command Injection Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of NETGEAR RAX30 routers. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability.
The specific flaw exists within the handling of UPnP port mapping requests. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied string before using it to execute a system call. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-20429.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2025
The CVE-2023-35722 vulnerability represents a critical remote code execution flaw in NETGEAR RAX30 routers that demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation within the Universal Plug and Play implementation. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of network services and system security, where the UPnP protocol's port mapping functionality becomes a vector for privilege escalation. The flaw exists in how the router processes incoming UPnP requests, specifically when handling port mapping operations that involve user-supplied parameters. The vulnerability has been classified under CWE-77 and CWE-78, indicating improper input validation leading to command injection, which directly maps to the ATT&CK technique T1203 for Exploitation for Execution. The absence of authentication requirements for exploitation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers without prior access credentials, transforming a simple network service interaction into a complete system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-provided data within the UPnP service handler. When a remote attacker sends a specially crafted UPnP port mapping request, the router's software fails to properly validate or escape the input parameters before incorporating them into system commands. This primitive but critical oversight allows an attacker to inject malicious commands that execute with the highest privileges available on the device. The root context execution occurs because the UPnP service runs with elevated permissions, and the vulnerable code path directly passes user input to shell execution functions without proper sanitization. The vulnerability essentially creates a command injection scenario where an attacker can manipulate the system call parameters to execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to complete device takeover, data exfiltration, or further network infiltration. This flaw exemplifies the dangerous intersection of legacy network protocols and modern security expectations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution to encompass complete network infrastructure compromise. An attacker with access to the local network can exploit this vulnerability to gain root access to the router, which serves as a central point of control for the entire network segment. This access enables the attacker to modify network configurations, redirect traffic, install malware, or use the compromised device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network. The implications are particularly severe for enterprise environments where these routers may serve as the primary gateway for network traffic and where the compromised device could provide access to sensitive internal systems. The vulnerability's persistence is also concerning as it affects all affected NETGEAR RAX30 installations, making it a widespread threat that requires immediate remediation across all networked environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-35722 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary solution involves applying firmware updates from NETGEAR that address the specific input validation issues within the UPnP implementation. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to UPnP services and disable unnecessary UPnP functionality when possible. Network monitoring solutions should be enhanced to detect anomalous UPnP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in network services and demonstrates why security-by-design principles must be applied to all network protocols, particularly those that operate with elevated privileges. Additionally, implementing network access controls and firewall rules that restrict UPnP traffic to trusted sources can provide additional layers of defense. Organizations should also consider conducting regular vulnerability assessments of their network infrastructure to identify similar issues in other networked devices that may be running legacy protocols with insufficient security controls.