EUVD-2024-51635

Comprehensive Technical Analysis of EUVD-2024-51635

1. Vulnerability Assessment and Severity Evaluation

The vulnerability described in EUVD-2024-51635 is an OS Command Injection flaw affecting Newtec/iDirect modems (NTC2218, NTC2250, NTC2299) running on Linux, PowerPC, and ARM architectures. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements in OS commands, specifically within the commit_multicast page of the modem's web administration interface. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary shell commands, leading to Local Code Inclusion.

Severity Evaluation:

• Base Score: 9.3 (CVSS 4.0)
• Vector String: CVSS:4.0/AV:A/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

The high base score indicates a critical vulnerability due to the potential for complete system compromise, including confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts. The attack vector (AV:A) suggests that the attacker needs to be adjacent to the network, but the attack complexity (AC:L) is low, and no user interaction (UI:N) is required. The high privileges required (PR:H) somewhat mitigate the risk, but the overall impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is severe.

2. Potential Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods

Attack Vectors:

• Local Network Access: An attacker with access to the local network can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the modem's web administration interface.
• Compromised Internal Systems: An attacker who has compromised another system within the same network can leverage this vulnerability to gain further control.

Exploitation Methods:

• Command Injection: The attacker can inject malicious commands into the commit_multicast page, which are then executed by the underlying bash script. This can lead to arbitrary code execution on the modem.
• Privilege Escalation: Once the attacker gains control over the modem, they can escalate privileges to perform further malicious activities, such as data exfiltration or network disruption.

3. Affected Systems and Software Versions

Affected Modems:

• NTC2218
• NTC2250
• NTC2299

Affected Software Versions:

• From version 1.0.1.1 through 2.2.6.19

Platforms:

• Linux
• PowerPC
• ARM

4. Recommended Mitigation Strategies

Immediate Mitigation:

• Network Segmentation: Isolate the modems from other critical systems to limit the potential impact of an exploit.
• Access Control: Restrict access to the modem's web administration interface to trusted users and devices only.
• Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring and logging of network traffic to detect any suspicious activities.

Long-Term Mitigation:

• Patch Management: Apply the latest firmware updates provided by Newtec/iDirect to address the vulnerability.
• Input Validation: Ensure that all input data is properly validated and sanitized before being processed by the system.
• Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and mitigate similar issues.

5. Impact on European Cybersecurity Landscape

The vulnerability poses a significant risk to European organizations and critical infrastructure that rely on Newtec/iDirect modems for communication. The potential for complete system compromise can lead to data breaches, service disruptions, and financial losses. The high EPSS score of 5 indicates a moderate likelihood of exploitation in the wild, emphasizing the need for immediate action.

6. Technical Details for Security Professionals

Vulnerability Details:

• The commit_multicast page in the modem's web administration interface improperly parses incoming data, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary shell commands.
• The vulnerability is exploited through an eval statement in a bash script, which executes the injected commands.

Detection and Response:

• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Deploy IDS to detect unusual network traffic patterns indicative of command injection attempts.
• Incident Response: Develop an incident response plan that includes steps for isolating affected modems, analyzing logs, and applying patches.
• Forensic Analysis: Conduct forensic analysis to understand the scope and impact of any successful exploitation and to identify the attacker's methods and objectives.

References:

• DOI Link
• YouTube Video

Aliases:

• CVE-2024-13502

Assigner:

• NCSC.ch

ENISA IDs:

• Product: cde35095-4219-3d92-89f2-a8ab122827e3
• Vendor: b1bd15b5-004a-3833-a670-88f4026026c6

By addressing this vulnerability promptly and effectively, organizations can mitigate the risk of exploitation and protect their critical infrastructure from potential cyber threats.