CVE-2024-29949 in DS-7604NI-K1
Summary
by MITRE • 04/02/2024
There is a command injection vulnerability in some Hikvision NVRs. This could allow an authenticated user with administrative rights to execute arbitrary commands.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2024
The command injection vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-29949 affects certain Hikvision Network Video Recorders that present a critical security risk to organizations relying on these devices for surveillance and security operations. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the web interface of affected NVR models, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. The flaw specifically manifests when the system processes user-supplied input without adequate sanitization or encoding, allowing attackers to manipulate command execution flows through crafted inputs.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the web server component of the NVR firmware where user-controllable parameters are directly incorporated into system commands without proper contextual escaping or validation. An authenticated administrator with administrative privileges can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious payloads through various interface elements such as configuration parameters, device names, or other input fields that are subsequently processed by the system shell. This represents a classic command injection flaw that aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-89 categories, which specifically address improper neutralization of special elements used in command execution and SQL injection attacks respectively. The vulnerability exists at the application layer and demonstrates a failure in input validation and output encoding practices that are fundamental to secure coding standards.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized command execution, as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over the affected NVR systems. Once exploited, the attacker gains the ability to modify device configurations, access stored video footage, manipulate recording schedules, disable security features, and potentially use the compromised device as a pivot point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. This compromise can lead to complete loss of surveillance capabilities, data exfiltration, and potential disruption of business operations. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only administrative authentication, which makes it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by insiders or compromised administrative accounts. Organizations using these devices face significant risk of unauthorized access to their security infrastructure, potentially leading to breaches of sensitive data and operational disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-29949 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Hikvision to address the root cause of the vulnerability. Organizations must ensure that all affected NVR devices are updated to the latest firmware versions that contain proper input validation and sanitization measures. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit administrative access to these devices, reducing the attack surface and limiting potential exploitation. Regular security assessments and monitoring of device logs should be conducted to detect any anomalous activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should implement principle of least privilege access controls and maintain detailed audit trails for all administrative activities on network video recording devices. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter demonstrates the need for comprehensive endpoint protection measures and behavioral monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious command execution patterns and alert administrators to potential compromise attempts.