CVE-2022-36786 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This article provides detailed information about the CVE-2022-36786 vulnerability affecting D-Link's DSL-224 router, including its impact, technical details, and mitigation steps.

Understanding CVE-2022-36786

CVE-2022-36786 is a critical Post-auth Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability found in the D-Link DSL-224 router.

What is CVE-2022-36786?

The CVE-2022-36786 vulnerability allows an attacker to inject a command with ROOT permissions through the NTP server configuration interface on the router, leading to unauthorized remote code execution.

The Impact of CVE-2022-36786

With a CVSS base score of 9.9 out of 10, this vulnerability poses a critical risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems. Attackers can exploit this flaw remotely without user interaction.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-36786

This section delves into the vulnerability description, affected systems, versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The DSL-224 router version 3.0.8 allows command injection via the jsonrpc API for NTP server configuration, enabling attackers to execute commands with elevated privileges.

Affected Systems and Versions

All versions of the D-Link DSL-224 router are vulnerable to CVE-2022-36786, with a note that updating to version 3.0.9_Beta Hotfix resolves this issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the NTP server configuration interface, tricking the router into executing malicious commands with ROOT access.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard your system from CVE-2022-36786, immediate actions and long-term security practices are crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the DSL-224 router to version 3.0.9_Beta Hotfix to mitigate the vulnerability. Additionally, monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update router firmware, implement network segmentation, and restrict access to the router configuration interface to authorized personnel only.

Patching and Updates

Refer to the vendor-provided update to install the version 3.0.9_Beta Hotfix and stay informed about future security advisories.