Netgear router users vulnerable to attacks

You better upgrade your Netgear firmware of your router before it’s too late. A new report has it that they are not safe at all.

The alarming fact is that a bug lets anyone enter 31 different Netgear models, or over a million users. And the worse part is it can even be done remotely, if the remote management option is switched on.

This feature is off by default but anyone that has physical access to the network of the router can still gain unauthorized access. According to the post on Trustwave’s blog, everyone can abuse the defensive mechanisms and turn the routers into botnets.

Netgear confirmed the flaw and released a full list of the affected models. In case you own any of the listed models, you better update your firmware to get the fix.

NETGEAR is aware of the security issue that can expose web GUI login passwords while the password recovery feature is disabled. This vulnerability occurs when an attacker can access the internal network or when remote management is enabled on the router. Remote management is turned off by default; users can turn on remote management through advanced settings.
Firmware fixes are currently available for the following affected devices. To download the firmware release that fixes the password recovery vulnerability, click the link for your model and visit the firmware release page for instructions:

• R8500
• R8300
• R7000
• R6400
• R7300DST
• R7100LG
• R6300v2
• WNDR3400v3
• WNR3500Lv2
• R6250 
• R6700 
• R6900
• R8000
• R7900
• WNDR4500v2
• R6200v2
• WNDR3400v2
• D6220
• D6400

NETGEAR has also released firmware that fixes the web password recovery vulnerability for the following cable modem router:

• C6300

For cable products like the C6300, new firmware is released by your Internet service provider after NETGEAR releases it to them. The firmware fix for the C6300, firmware version 2.01.18, has been released to all service providers. Until your service provider releases the firmware fix to you, NETGEAR strongly recommends that you use the workaround procedure explained in this article. To see your C6300’s current firmware version, visit the following knowledge base article and follow the instructions: How do I view the firmware version of my cable modem or modem router?.
NETGEAR has tested the following devices and confirmed that they are not affected by the web password recovery vulnerability:

• V6510

For the following affected products, NETGEAR recommends using the workaround procedure explained in this article.
Router Model and Firmware Version:

• R6200 v1.0.1.56_1.0.43
• R6300 v1.0.2.78_1.0.58
• VEGN2610 v1.0.0.14_1.0.12
• AC1450 v1.0.0.34_10.0.16
• WNR1000v3 v1.0.2.68_60.0.93
• WNDR3700v3 v1.0.0.38_1.0.31
• WNDR4000 v1.0.2.4_9.1.86
• WNDR4500 v1.0.1.40_1.0.68

DSL Gateway Model and Firmware Version:

• D6300 v1.0.0.96
• D6300B v1.0.0.40
• DGN2200Bv4 v1.0.0.68
• DGN2200v4 v1.0.0.76

If your affected product does not have a firmware fix available, NETGEAR strongly recommends that you follow this workaround procedure to remediate the vulnerability:

1. Manually enable the password recovery feature on your device.
   For more information, visit Configuring router administrative password recovery.
2. Ensure that remote management is disabled.
   Remote management is disabled by default. For more information, check the user manual for your product, which is available from http://www.netgear.com/support/.

The potential for password exposure remains if you do not complete both steps. NETGEAR is not responsible for any consequences that could have been avoided by following the recommendations in this notification.

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We appreciate and value having security concerns brought to our attention. NETGEAR constantly monitors for both known and unknown threats. Being pro-active rather than re-active to emerging security issues is fundamental for product support at NETGEAR.
It is NETGEAR's mission to be the innovative leader in connecting the world to the internet. To achieve this mission, we strive to earn and maintain the trust of those that use NETGEAR products for their connectivity.
To report a security vulnerability, visit https://bugcrowd.com/netgear.
If you are a NETGEAR customer with a security-related support concern, you can contact NETGEAR customer support at techsupport.security@netgear.com.
For all other issues, visit http://www.netgear.com/about/security/.
The security@netgear.com email address is no longer accepting messages and is no longer actively monitored.

Source gsmarena / netgear.