CVE-2024-35522 in EX3700 AC750 WiFi Range Extender Essentials Edition
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2024
Netgear EX3700 ' AC750 WiFi Range Extender Essentials Edition before 1.0.0.98 contains an authenticated command injection in operating_mode.cgi via the ap_mode parameter with ap_24g_manual set to 1 and ap_24g_manual_sec set to NotNone.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2025
The CVE-2024-35522 vulnerability affects Netgear EX3700 AC750 WiFi Range Extender Essentials Edition devices running firmware versions prior to 1.0.0.98. This represents a critical authenticated command injection flaw that allows attackers with valid credentials to execute arbitrary commands on the affected device. The vulnerability resides within the operating_mode.cgi script which processes user input through the ap_mode parameter. When specific conditions are met including setting ap_24g_manual to 1 and ap_24g_manual_sec to NotNone, the device fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input, creating an avenue for malicious command execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the web interface handling of wireless configuration parameters. The operating_mode.cgi script directly incorporates user-provided values into system commands without adequate sanitization or escaping mechanisms. This command injection occurs in the context of the web server process running with elevated privileges, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary system commands with the same privileges as the web server. The vulnerability is authenticated, meaning an attacker must first obtain valid credentials to exploit it, but this does not mitigate the severity of the potential impact.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to network security and device integrity. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain full control over the wireless range extender, potentially allowing them to modify network configurations, intercept wireless traffic, or use the device as a pivot point for attacking other networked systems. The compromised device could serve as a persistent backdoor within the network infrastructure, especially since range extenders are often deployed in residential and small office environments where they may not be regularly monitored. The vulnerability could also facilitate denial of service attacks by allowing command execution that might crash the device or render it inoperable.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-77 and CWE-78 within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, specifically representing command injection flaws where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1021.001 (Remote Services: Remote Desktop Protocol) when considering the potential for lateral movement and privilege escalation. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability suggests that defensive measures should include implementing strong access controls, regular firmware updates, and network monitoring to detect anomalous command execution patterns. Organizations should prioritize immediate firmware updates to address this vulnerability and implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts.
The affected Netgear EX3700 devices operate with default configurations that may not adequately protect against such attacks, particularly in environments where physical access to the device is possible or where default credentials are not changed. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices in embedded systems and web applications, emphasizing the need for input validation, output encoding, and principle of least privilege in network device implementations. Network administrators should conduct inventory checks to identify all affected devices and ensure timely patch deployment to maintain network security posture.