CVE-2024-23842: Hitron DVR Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-23842 Overview

CVE-2024-23842 is an improper input validation vulnerability in the Hitron Systems DVR LGUVR-16H firmware versions 1.02 through 4.02. The flaw is triggered when the device operates with default administrator credentials, allowing a network-based attacker to disrupt device availability. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-20] Improper Input Validation and [CWE-798] Use of Hard-coded Credentials. Exploitation requires no privileges and no user interaction, and the attack can be carried out remotely across the network.

Critical Impact

A remote attacker can leverage default admin credentials to send malformed input that disrupts the availability of the Hitron LGUVR-16H DVR, impacting video surveillance operations.

Affected Products

• Hitron Systems DVR LGUVR-16H (hardware)
• Hitron Systems LGUVR-16H Firmware versions 1.02 through 4.02
• Deployments using default administrator ID and password

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-01-23 - CVE-2024-23842 published to NVD
• 2025-12-31 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-23842

Vulnerability Analysis

The LGUVR-16H is a 16-channel digital video recorder used for surveillance deployments. The firmware fails to properly validate input received over the network when the device is configured with the factory-default administrator account. An attacker with network reachability to the DVR can submit crafted requests that the firmware does not reject or sanitize, resulting in a denial-of-service condition. The vulnerability combines two weaknesses: missing input validation in the management interface and reliance on hard-coded or default credentials that remain active in many production deployments. Because the CVSS impact metrics indicate high availability impact with no confidentiality or integrity loss, the practical outcome is service disruption of the DVR rather than data theft.

Root Cause

The root cause is twofold. First, the firmware accepts network input without applying adequate validation rules, classified under [CWE-20]. Second, the device ships with default credentials that administrators frequently leave unchanged, classified under [CWE-798]. Together these flaws allow an unauthenticated or trivially authenticated network attacker to abuse the management plane.

Attack Vector

Attackers reach the DVR over the network, authenticate using the default administrator ID and password, and submit malformed input to a vulnerable handler. No user interaction is required. The result is loss of availability for the DVR and its connected camera channels. No public proof-of-concept or exploit code is currently listed in ExploitDB, and the vulnerability is not present on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Refer to the Hitron Firmware Resource for vendor-published technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-23842

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected reboots, service restarts, or channel dropouts on LGUVR-16H DVR units
• Authentication events to the DVR management interface using the factory default administrator account
• Inbound network traffic to DVR management ports from untrusted networks or the public internet
• Repeated malformed HTTP or proprietary protocol requests directed at the DVR

Detection Strategies

• Inventory all Hitron LGUVR-16H devices and identify firmware versions in the 1.02 through 4.02 range
• Audit credential configuration to flag any DVR still using the vendor default administrator ID and password
• Monitor network flow data for direct exposure of DVR management interfaces to untrusted segments

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward DVR syslog and authentication events to a centralized log platform for correlation and alerting
• Alert on repeated failed parsing errors, watchdog resets, or unscheduled reboots reported by the DVR
• Track availability of camera channels and DVR uptime as service health metrics to detect disruption quickly

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-23842

Immediate Actions Required

• Change the default administrator ID and password on every LGUVR-16H DVR to strong, unique credentials
• Restrict network access to the DVR management interface using firewall rules or dedicated VLAN segmentation
• Remove any direct exposure of the DVR to the public internet and require VPN access for remote management
• Apply the latest firmware available from the Hitron Firmware Resource

Patch Information

Hitron publishes firmware updates through its official firmware portal. Administrators should consult the Hitron Firmware Resource for the latest LGUVR-16H release and verify that the installed version is later than 4.02 or includes the vendor's fix for CVE-2024-23842.

Workarounds

• Place all DVR units behind a network firewall that denies inbound management traffic from untrusted sources
• Disable remote administrative access entirely if it is not required for operations
• Enforce credential rotation policies and prohibit reuse of vendor default accounts across the surveillance fleet

# Configuration example: restrict DVR management access at the network edge
# Replace 10.10.20.5 with the DVR address and 10.10.99.0/24 with the admin subnet
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp -s 10.10.99.0/24 -d 10.10.20.5 --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp -d 10.10.20.5 --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp -d 10.10.20.5 --dport 443 -j DROP