A concerning vulnerability has been discovered in the Netgear C7800 router, potentially leaving user credentials exposed to attackers. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2022-41545, stems from the router’s administrative web interface lacking transport encryption by default.
Security researcher Ryan Delaney discovered the flaw, which affects Netgear C7800 routers running firmware version 6.01.07 and possibly others. The vulnerability arises from the use of basic authentication for the administrative web interface. Usernames and passwords are transmitted in plaintext within an HTTP header, making them susceptible to eavesdropping by malicious actors.
An attacker who successfully performs a man-in-the-middle attack on the WLAN or LAN can intercept these credentials. This could grant them full control over the router, enabling them to change settings, steal data, or launch further attacks on the network.
Adding to the concern, the web server does not utilize transport security by default, further increasing the risk of credential exposure. Currently, no patch is available to address this vulnerability.
Netgear users are strongly advised to take the following precautions:
- Avoid using the administrative web interface over a WLAN: If possible, use a wired connection when accessing the router’s settings.
- Change default credentials: Use strong, unique passwords for both the router’s administrator account and Wi-Fi network.
- Enable HTTPS: If the router supports it, manually enable HTTPS for the administrative web interface.
- Monitor network activity: Use network monitoring tools to detect suspicious activity.
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