CVE-2024-0538: Detailed Analysis of Critical Tenda W9 Vulnerability

Overview

In today’s digital age, cybersecurity threats are a constant concern for individuals and organizations alike. The latest vulnerability to be uncovered, CVE-2024-0538, is a critical security flaw found in Tenda W9 1.0.0.7(4456). This vulnerability can potentially compromise the entire system or lead to data leakage, thereby posing a significant risk to the security and privacy of data. As the vulnerability affects the httpd component, specifically the function formQosManage_auto, it matters greatly to any organization or individual utilizing Tenda W9, as it could expose their sensitive data to attackers.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2024-0538
Severity: Critical (CVSS: 8.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

Tenda W9 | 1.0.0.7(4456)

How the Exploit Works

The vulnerability arises from a stack-based buffer overflow within the formQosManage_auto function in the httpd component. By manipulating the argument ‘ssidIndex’, attackers can cause an overflow condition that can lead to arbitrary code execution. This allows an attacker to remotely compromise an affected system, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data leakage, or even complete system control.

Conceptual Example Code

The following pseudocode provides a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited:

POST /formQosManage_auto HTTP/1.1
Host: Tenda W9
Content-Type: application/json
{ "ssidIndex": "A"*1024 // Overflow the buffer with a long string }

In this example, the attacker sends a POST request to the formQosManage_auto endpoint, overloading the ‘ssidIndex’ argument with a string that’s too long for the buffer to handle. This causes a buffer overflow, which could potentially allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code.

Mitigation

The ideal mitigation strategy for this vulnerability is to apply the vendor-supplied patch as soon as it becomes available. In cases where the vendor does not respond or if a patch is not available, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as a temporary mitigation method. These can detect and block potential attack attempts exploiting this vulnerability. It’s also recommended to monitor any suspicious network activity and to enforce the principle of least privilege, thus limiting the potential impact of an exploit.