CVE-2018-21206 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2018-21206, a high-severity vulnerability in certain NETGEAR devices allowing unauthenticated attackers to trigger a stack-based buffer overflow. Find out affected systems and mitigation steps.
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in certain NETGEAR devices.
Understanding CVE-2018-21206
What is CVE-2018-21206?
CVE-2018-21206 is a vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated attacker to trigger a stack-based buffer overflow in specific NETGEAR devices.
The Impact of CVE-2018-21206
This vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 8.8, indicating a high severity level with significant impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-21206
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability arises from a stack-based buffer overflow in various NETGEAR devices, including D7800, EX2700, R6100, R7500, R7500v2, R7800, R9000, WN2000RPTv3, WN3000RPv3, WN3100RPv2, WNDR3700v4, WNDR4300, WNDR4300v2, and WNDR4500v3.
Affected Systems and Versions
- D7800 versions before 1.0.1.30
- EX2700 versions before 1.0.1.28
- R6100 versions before 1.0.1.20
- R7500 versions before 1.0.0.118
- R7500v2 versions before 1.0.3.24
- R7800 versions before 1.0.2.40
- R9000 versions before 1.0.2.52
- WN2000RPTv3 versions before 1.0.1.20
- WN3000RPv3 versions before 1.0.2.50
- WN3100RPv2 versions before 1.0.0.56
- WNDR3700v4 versions before 1.0.2.96
- WNDR4300 versions before 1.0.2.98
- WNDR4300v2 versions before 1.0.0.50
- WNDR4500v3 versions before 1.0.0.50
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability can be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker through a stack-based buffer overflow.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply security patches provided by NETGEAR for the affected devices.
- Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
- Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update firmware and software to address security vulnerabilities.
- Conduct security assessments and penetration testing to identify and mitigate potential risks.
Patching and Updates
Ensure that all NETGEAR devices are updated with the latest firmware and security patches.