CVE-2023-40478
CVE-2023-40478 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Netgear Rax30 Firmware with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-787.
Key facts
- Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.8)
- EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (50th percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2023-45049
- Weakness: CWE-787
- Affected product: Netgear Rax30 Firmware
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
NETGEAR RAX30 Telnet CLI passwd Stack-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of NETGEAR RAX30 routers. Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific flaw exists within the telnet CLI service, which listens on TCP port 23. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length stack-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-20009.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2023-40478?
- NETGEAR RAX30 Telnet CLI passwd Stack-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows network-adjacent attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of NETGEAR RAX30 routers. Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific flaw exists within the telnet CLI service, which listens on TCP port 23. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length stack-based buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-20009.
- How severe is CVE-2023-40478?
- CVE-2023-40478 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.8, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
- Is CVE-2023-40478 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- What products are affected by CVE-2023-40478?
- CVE-2023-40478 affects Netgear Rax30 Firmware. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2023-40478?
- Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
- Does CVE-2023-40478 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
- Yes. CVE-2023-40478 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2023-45049.
- When was CVE-2023-40478 published?
- CVE-2023-40478 was published on 2024-05-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
- https://kb.netgear.com/000065649/Security-Advisory-for-Post-authentication-Buffer-Overflow-on-the-RAX30-PSV-2023-0002
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-23-1163/
Affected products (1)
- cpe:2.3:o:netgear:rax30_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
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