CVE-2017-18791
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting multiple NETGEAR router models. Attackers can trick authenticated users into performing unauthorized actions on their router's web interface. Affected users include anyone using the listed NETGEAR router models with vulnerable firmware versions.
💻 Affected Systems
- NETGEAR R6050
- NETGEAR JR6150
- NETGEAR PR2000
- NETGEAR R6220
- NETGEAR WNDR3700v5
- NETGEAR JNR1010v2
- NETGEAR JWNR2010v5
- NETGEAR WNR1000v4
- NETGEAR WNR2020
- NETGEAR WNR2050
- NETGEAR WNR614
- NETGEAR WNR618
- NETGEAR D7000
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An attacker could change router settings, redirect DNS, enable remote administration, or reset the device to factory defaults, potentially gaining full control over the network.
Likely Case
Attackers could modify DNS settings to redirect traffic to malicious sites, change Wi-Fi passwords, or disable security features.
If Mitigated
With proper CSRF protections and user awareness, the risk is significantly reduced as exploitation requires user interaction with malicious content while authenticated.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires the victim to be authenticated to the router's web interface and visit a malicious webpage. CSRF attacks are well-understood and commonly weaponized.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: R6050/JR6150: 1.0.1.7, PR2000: 1.0.0.17, R6220: 1.1.0.50, WNDR3700v5: 1.1.0.48, JNR1010v2: 1.1.0.40, JWNR2010v5: 1.1.0.40, WNR1000v4: 1.1.0.40, WNR2020: 1.1.0.40, WNR2050: 1.1.0.40, WNR614: 1.1.0.40, WNR618: 1.1.0.40, D7000: 1.0.1.50
Vendor Advisory: https://kb.netgear.com/000049371/Security-Advisory-for-Cross-Site-Request-Forgery-Vulnerability-on-D7000-and-Some-Routers-PSV-2017-0386
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Log into your NETGEAR router's web interface. 2. Navigate to Advanced > Administration > Firmware Update. 3. Check for updates and download the latest firmware. 4. Upload and install the firmware update. 5. The router will reboot automatically.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Use separate browser for router admin
allUse a dedicated browser or private/incognito window only for router administration to prevent session cookies from being available to malicious sites.
Log out after administration
allAlways log out of the router's web interface immediately after making changes to invalidate the session.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement network segmentation to isolate the router management interface from general user traffic
- Use browser extensions that block CSRF attempts or enforce same-origin policies
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Log into your router's web interface and check the firmware version under Advanced > Administration > Firmware Update or similar menu.Check Version:
No CLI command available - must check through web interfaceVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify the firmware version matches or exceeds the patched version listed in the fix information.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected configuration changes in router logs
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by successful configuration changes
Network Indicators:
- Unusual DNS server changes
- Sudden changes to port forwarding or firewall rules
SIEM Query:
Not applicable for typical home/small business router environments