CVE-2024-4167 in 4G300
Summary
by MITRE • 04/25/2024
A vulnerability was found in Tenda 4G300 1.01.42 and classified as critical. Affected by this issue is the function sub_422AA4. The manipulation of the argument year/month/day/hour/minute/second leads to stack-based buffer overflow. The attack may be launched remotely. VDB-261986 is the identifier assigned to this vulnerability. NOTE: The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-4167 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw in Tenda 4G300 router firmware version 1.01.42. This vulnerability resides within the function sub_422AA4 and stems from inadequate input validation when processing time-related parameters including year, month, day, hour, minute, and second values. The flaw constitutes a direct violation of software security principles and creates a dangerous condition where malicious actors can manipulate these time arguments to overwrite adjacent memory locations on the stack. The vulnerability's classification as critical stems from its potential for remote exploitation, meaning attackers do not require physical access to the device to exploit the flaw. This remote attack vector significantly amplifies the threat surface and makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for networked environments where these devices are deployed.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves manipulating the time parameters passed to the sub_422AA4 function, which likely processes date and time information for system logging, scheduling, or network time protocol operations. When these parameters exceed the allocated buffer space on the stack, the overflow can overwrite return addresses, function pointers, or other critical stack data, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected process. The stack-based nature of this buffer overflow means that the attack can be particularly effective in causing system instability or complete compromise of the router's operational integrity. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which specifically addresses buffer overflows occurring in stack memory regions. The attack scenario represents a classic remote code execution vector that could enable threat actors to gain unauthorized access to the device, potentially leading to man-in-the-middle attacks, network infiltration, or complete device takeover.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-4167 extends beyond simple device compromise to encompass broader network security implications for organizations relying on Tenda 4G300 routers. Given that these devices often serve as primary network gateways in residential and small business environments, successful exploitation could provide attackers with persistent access points into larger networks. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target these devices from anywhere on the internet, making them attractive targets for large-scale attacks or reconnaissance activities. The lack of vendor response to early disclosure attempts compounds the risk, leaving users without official patches or mitigations while the vulnerability remains active in deployed systems. This scenario exemplifies the ATT&CK framework's initial access and execution tactics, where attackers leverage unpatched network infrastructure vulnerabilities to establish persistent access. Organizations using affected Tenda devices should consider immediate network segmentation and monitoring for suspicious activity, as the vulnerability could enable attackers to establish backdoors or perform network reconnaissance.
The security implications of this vulnerability also highlight the critical importance of firmware security and vendor responsibility in IoT and networking equipment. The fact that the vendor did not respond to early disclosure attempts suggests potential gaps in security coordination and responsible disclosure practices. This lack of response leaves network administrators and security professionals in a precarious position where they must make decisions about system security without official vendor support. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly innocuous time parameter handling can become a critical security flaw when proper input validation and memory management practices are not implemented. Security professionals should implement network monitoring solutions to detect unusual time synchronization requests or malformed time data that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that embedded systems and IoT devices often lack proper security controls and should be treated as high-risk components in network security assessments. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls to limit exposure of these devices to external networks and maintain updated inventories of all networked devices to identify potentially vulnerable systems.