CVE-2024-45274 in mbNET.mini
Summary
by MITRE • 10/15/2024
An unauthenticated remote attacker can execute OS commands via UDP on the device due to missing authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in network device firmware that allows remote command execution without any authentication requirements. The issue manifests through the device's UDP protocol implementation where insufficient authentication mechanisms permit any remote attacker to inject and execute arbitrary operating system commands directly on the affected device. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental failure in the device's access control design, where UDP services lack proper authentication checks that should normally validate the identity of connecting entities before processing commands.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the device's UDP handler receiving packets without verifying the sender's credentials or authorization status. This creates an attack surface where malicious actors can send specially crafted UDP packets containing command payloads that the device processes without validation. The absence of authentication checks means that any UDP packet sent to the vulnerable port can potentially trigger command execution, making this a particularly dangerous vulnerability as it requires no prior access credentials or exploitation of other vulnerabilities. The flaw essentially provides an open backdoor through UDP communication channels that bypasses normal security controls and authentication mechanisms.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes devices to immediate and complete compromise by remote attackers who can execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the device's operating system. Attackers can use this vulnerability to gain full control over the device, potentially leading to data exfiltration, service disruption, network infiltration, or use of the compromised device as a pivot point for further attacks. The unauthenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers do not need to perform additional reconnaissance or credential harvesting activities, significantly reducing the attack surface and time required to achieve compromise. This vulnerability particularly affects network infrastructure devices that rely on UDP protocols for management or operational functions, potentially impacting enterprise networks, IoT deployments, and critical infrastructure systems.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-310 and CWE-287, which address cryptographic failures and authentication failures respectively, and maps to ATT&CK techniques such as T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1133 for external remote services. Organizations should immediately implement network segmentation to isolate affected devices from critical network segments, disable unnecessary UDP services where possible, and apply firmware updates from vendors as soon as they become available. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual UDP traffic patterns and command execution attempts, while access controls should be reviewed to ensure proper authentication mechanisms are in place for all network services. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar authentication gaps in other network protocols and services.