CVE-2024-57230: Critical Command Injection Vulnerability in NETGEAR RAX5 WiFi Router

Overview

In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity threats, a new vulnerability has been identified in the widely used NETGEAR RAX5 (AX1600 WiFi Router). The vulnerability, designated as CVE-2024-57230, is a high-risk command injection flaw that has the potential to compromise systems and lead to data leakage. This vulnerability is of particular concern as it affects one of the cornerstones of network infrastructure, potentially putting countless systems at risk. Addressing this issue at the earliest is paramount to ensure network security and to protect sensitive data.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2024-57230
Severity: Critical (9.8 CVSS Severity Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

NETGEAR RAX5 (AX1600 WiFi Router) | V1.0.2.26

How the Exploit Works

The exploit takes advantage of a command injection vulnerability via the ifname parameter in the apcli_do_enr_pin_wps function. An attacker can pass malicious commands embedded in this parameter, which are then executed by the system. This could lead to unauthorized actions being performed, ranging from data exfiltration to a full system compromise.

Conceptual Example Code

An example of how the vulnerability might be exploited is shown below. In this conceptual example, a malicious command is injected via the ifname parameter.

POST /apcli_do_enr_pin_wps HTTP/1.1
Host: target_router_ip_address
Content-Type: application/json
{ "ifname": ";[malicious_command]" }

In the above example, `[malicious_command]` would be replaced by the actual command that the attacker wishes to execute. The semicolon (;) is used to separate commands in many command-line environments, allowing the attacker to append their own command to the ifname parameter.
Please note, this is a conceptual example and may differ from an actual exploit based on the specific implementation and configuration of the router.

Mitigation Guidance

NETGEAR has released a patch to address this vulnerability. Users are advised to update their firmware to the latest version immediately. In the interim, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can be used to detect and block attempts to exploit this vulnerability.