CVE-2022-44188

Vulnerability

A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the httpd binary of Netgear R7000P firmware version V1.3.0.8. The flaw is triggered by passing an overly long value to the enable_band_steering parameter in an HTTP request. This parameter is processed without proper bounds checking, leading to a stack-based buffer overflow.

Exploitation

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP POST request to the affected router's web interface with an excessively long enable_band_steering parameter. No authentication is required if the web interface is exposed, but the attacker must be able to reach the router's management interface over the network. The overflow occurs during parsing of the parameter, potentially allowing control of the program flow.

Impact

Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device with the privileges of the httpd process, typically root. This would result in full compromise of the router, including the ability to modify configuration, intercept traffic, or launch further attacks on the local network.

Mitigation

As of the publication date (2022-11-22), Netgear has not released a firmware update to address this vulnerability. The vendor's security advisory page [1] provides general guidance for reporting vulnerabilities but does not list a specific fix. Users should monitor Netgear's support site for future firmware updates. If the router is no longer supported, consider replacing it with a supported model.