CVE-2018-21230

Vulnerability

A security misconfiguration vulnerability affects numerous NETGEAR devices, including routers, gateways, and extenders. This issue stems from incorrect configuration of security settings in the firmware. Affected models and their vulnerable firmware versions are listed in the advisory [1]. The vulnerability exists across a wide range of devices, including D1500 before 1.0.0.27, D500 before 1.0.0.27, D6100 before 1.0.0.57, and many others [1].

Exploitation

An attacker can exploit this misconfiguration to change device settings without proper authorization. The advisory does not provide specific exploitation details, but the vulnerability is related to security settings being incorrectly configured by default, which could allow an attacker to modify settings they should not be able to change. The attack vector and prerequisites are not fully disclosed in the reference, but given the nature of the misconfiguration, an attacker may need local network access or the ability to access the device's management interface [1].

Impact

Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to modify device configuration settings, potentially leading to unauthorized changes in network security, such as disabling protections or enabling remote access. The exact impact is not detailed, but the misconfiguration could undermine the security posture of the device, making it more susceptible to further attacks [1].

Mitigation

NETGEAR has released firmware updates to fix this vulnerability. Users should update their devices to the latest firmware version as specified in the advisory [1]. For example, D1500 should be updated to 1.0.0.27 or later. The advisory does not list any workarounds, and no CISA KEV entry is currently associated with this CVE. Users are advised to apply the available firmware patches to secure their devices [1].