NETGEAR WNR2000 Authentication Bypass and Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2017-6862)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTNETGEAR WNR2000v3 (before 1.1.2.14), WNR2000v4 (before 1.0.0.66), and WNR2000v5 (before 1.0.0.42) devices.
Unauthenticated remote attackers can bypass authentication and execute arbitrary code with root privileges via a buffer overflow in the web administration interface.
Apply the official firmware updates immediately and disable remote WAN management on the affected routers.
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Administrators must manually download and apply the latest firmware updates from the official NETGEAR support portal. Below is an outline of the upgrade process:
# 1. Download the appropriate firmware image for your specific hardware revision (e.g., WNR2000v5)
curl -O https://kb.netgear.com/000038542/Security-Advisory-for-Unauthenticated-Remote-Code-Execution-on-Some-Routers-PSV-2016-0261
# 2. Access the router's web GUI (default: http://192.168.1.1)
# 3. Navigate to Advanced -> Administration -> Router Upgrade, upload the downloaded .chk/.img file, and apply.2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, disable Remote Management (WAN access) and restrict access to the administration interface to trusted local IP addresses only.
# Block external WAN access to the router's administration ports using upstream firewall rules
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp -d 192.168.1.1 --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp -d 192.168.1.1 --dport 443 -j DROP3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
You can identify vulnerable NETGEAR devices within your network segment by scanning for active web interfaces and inspecting HTTP response headers.
# Scan the local network for active web administration interfaces on common ports
nmap -p 80,443,8080 --open -sV 192.168.1.0/24
# Query the device's HTTP header to verify the server banner and identify potential NETGEAR signatures
curl -s -I http://192.168.1.1 | grep -E 'Server|WWW-Authenticate'Stop Exposing VPN Ports to the Internet — Switch to Zero-Trust Access
Eliminate public-facing VPN concentrators and firewall management ports with identity-first Zero-Trust Network Access.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2017-6862, NETGEAR ID: PSV-2016-0261) is a critical security flaw in the embedded web administration application of NETGEAR WNR2000 series routers. The root cause lies in a classic buffer overflow (CWE-120) where the web server fails to validate the length of input parameters passed to the administration interface before copying them into a fixed-size memory buffer. This allows an attacker to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted HTTP request containing an excessively long parameter to the router's web management port. Because the input is not bound-checked, it overwrites adjacent memory on the stack, including the return address of the active function. By hijacking the execution flow, the attacker can redirect control to injected shellcode, achieving unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) under the context of the web server process.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
With a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8 (Critical) and its inclusion in the CISA KEV catalog, this vulnerability poses a severe threat as it is actively exploited in the wild. Successful exploitation grants full administrative control over the router. Attackers can leverage this access to intercept network traffic, modify DNS settings for credential harvesting, enlist the device into malicious botnets, or pivot into the internal local area network (LAN) to target enterprise assets.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
NETGEAR WNR2000v3 devices before 1.1.2.14, WNR2000v4 devices before 1.0.0.66, and WNR2000v5 devices before 1.0.0.42 allow authentication bypass and remote code execution via a buffer overflow that uses a parameter in the administration webapp. The NETGEAR ID is PSV-2016-0261.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2017-6862)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2017-6862 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2017-6862 is rated CVSS 9.8 (CRITICAL) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 45.8%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2017-6862?
Primary impacted vendors include netgear across wnr2000v3, wnr2000v4, wnr2000v5. Scope summary: NETGEAR WNR2000v3 (before 1.1.2.14), WNR2000v4 (before 1.0.0.66), and WNR2000v5 (before 1.0.0.42)
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2017-6862 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the official firmware updates immediately and disable remote WAN management on the affected routers. Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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