CVE-2024-40084 in Mesh WiFi System
Summary
by MITRE • 10/22/2024
A Buffer Overflow in the Boa webserver of Vilo 5 Mesh WiFi System <= 5.16.1.33 allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code via exceptionally long HTTP methods or paths.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-40084 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Boa webserver component of Vilo 5 Mesh WiFi System versions 5.16.1.33 and earlier. This issue resides in the HTTP request processing logic where the webserver fails to properly validate the length of incoming HTTP methods or paths, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers without requiring authentication credentials. The flaw manifests when an attacker submits a malformed HTTP request containing excessively long method names or URI paths that exceed the allocated buffer space, triggering undefined behavior that can be exploited for code execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. In the context of the Boa webserver implementation, the buffer overflow occurs during HTTP request parsing when the server attempts to store incoming method names or path components in fixed-size memory buffers without adequate length validation. This creates an opportunity for attackers to craft malicious requests that overwrite critical memory segments including return addresses, function pointers, or other control data structures within the process memory space.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to potentially compromise the entire network infrastructure managed by the Vilo 5 Mesh WiFi System. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the attack means that any device connected to the network could be exploited without the need for prior access or credentials, making this particularly dangerous in enterprise or residential gateway environments where these devices serve as primary network entry points. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain full administrative control over the affected WiFi system, potentially enabling them to modify network configurations, intercept traffic, or establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure.
The exploitation of this vulnerability follows patterns consistent with ATT&CK technique T1210, which involves exploiting weaknesses in remote services to gain unauthorized access. Given that the vulnerability affects a webserver component, it presents an ideal attack surface for reconnaissance and initial compromise activities within network environments. The attack chain typically involves sending specially crafted HTTP requests to the affected webserver, triggering the buffer overflow condition, and subsequently executing malicious code within the context of the webserver process. This could potentially lead to privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network depending on the permissions granted to the webserver process.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-40084 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Vilo to address the buffer overflow condition in the Boa webserver component. Network administrators should implement firewall rules to restrict access to the affected webserver ports and consider network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Additionally, monitoring for unusual HTTP request patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems can help identify attempted exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and bounds checking in network services, highlighting that even seemingly simple components like HTTP request parsing require rigorous security testing and validation to prevent exploitation. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their network infrastructure to identify other potentially affected devices running similar webserver implementations that may present similar security risks.