CVE-2024-57016 in X5000R
Summary
by MITRE • 01/15/2025
TOTOLINK X5000R V9.1.0cu.2350_B20230313 was discovered to contain an OS command injection vulnerability via the "user" parameter in setVpnAccountCfg.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-57016 represents a critical operating system command injection flaw within the TOTOLINK X5000R router firmware version V9.1.0cu.2350_B20230313. This vulnerability specifically affects the setVpnAccountCfg function where the "user" parameter is processed without adequate input validation or sanitization. The flaw allows an attacker to inject malicious commands that will be executed with the privileges of the affected service, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-88, which categorize command injection vulnerabilities where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into operating system commands without proper validation or escaping mechanisms. The attack vector occurs through the web interface of the router where the user parameter is accepted during VPN account configuration setup. When an attacker submits malicious input containing command injection sequences such as semicolons, pipes, or other shell metacharacters, the system processes these inputs directly without proper sanitization, creating an opportunity for arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with potential full system control over affected routers. An attacker could execute commands such as spawning reverse shells, modifying system files, accessing network traffic, or even installing persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects the router's administrative functionality, potentially allowing unauthorized users to gain access to the device's configuration, network traffic interception, and privilege escalation to root-level access. This makes the device a potential foothold for broader network attacks or as a pivot point for lateral movement within an organization's network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate firmware updates from TOTOLINK if available, network segmentation to limit access to affected devices, and implementation of network monitoring to detect suspicious command execution patterns. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary VPN functionality when not required and implementing strict input validation on all user-facing parameters. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1021.004 (Remote Services: SSH) as attackers may leverage command injection to establish persistent access or execute remote commands. Network administrators should also deploy intrusion detection systems capable of identifying command injection attempts and consider implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious payloads before they reach the vulnerable application layer.