CVE-2024-28007: NEC Aterm Firmware RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-28007 Overview

CVE-2024-28007 is an improper authentication vulnerability affecting a wide range of NEC Corporation Aterm wireless routers and firmware. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges via the internet, posing a significant risk to network infrastructure and connected devices.

The vulnerability exists due to improper authentication mechanisms in the affected router firmware, enabling attackers to bypass security controls entirely and gain complete administrative access to the device.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands with root privileges without authentication, potentially leading to complete device compromise, network infiltration, and use of affected routers in botnet operations.

Affected Products

• NEC Aterm WG1800HP4, WG1200HS3, WG1900HP2, WG1200HP3, WG1800HP3 (all firmware versions)
• NEC Aterm WR8750N, WR9500N, WR8600N, WR8700N, WR9300N series (all firmware versions)
• NEC Aterm WM3400RN, WM3450RN, WM3500R, WM3600R, WM3800R mobile routers (all firmware versions)

Discovery Timeline

• March 28, 2024 - CVE-2024-28007 published to NVD
• September 29, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-28007

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-287 (Improper Authentication), where the affected NEC Aterm router firmware fails to properly validate user authentication before processing sensitive administrative requests. The flaw allows network-accessible attackers to interact with privileged router functions without providing valid credentials.

The attack can be initiated remotely over the internet without requiring any user interaction or prior authentication. Once exploited, attackers gain root-level access to the router's operating system, enabling them to execute arbitrary commands, modify configurations, intercept network traffic, or pivot to attack other devices on the network.

The extensive scope of affected products—spanning over 55 different NEC Aterm router models across multiple product generations—suggests a fundamental flaw in the shared authentication framework used across the Aterm product line.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-28007 is improper implementation of authentication controls within the router's web management interface or API endpoints. The authentication mechanism fails to properly verify that incoming requests originate from authenticated administrative sessions before executing privileged operations.

This type of authentication bypass typically occurs when:

• Authentication checks are missing on certain endpoints
• Session validation logic contains flaws
• Default or hardcoded credentials exist
• Authentication state is improperly managed

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, requiring only network reachability to the affected router. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Identifying an internet-exposed NEC Aterm router running vulnerable firmware
2. Sending specially crafted requests to the router's management interface
3. Bypassing authentication controls due to improper validation
4. Executing arbitrary commands with root privileges on the underlying Linux-based operating system

The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because many home and small business routers expose their management interfaces to the internet, either by default configuration or through UPnP-enabled port forwarding. Attackers can leverage tools like Shodan or Censys to identify vulnerable devices at scale.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-28007

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected configuration changes on NEC Aterm routers, particularly firewall rules or port forwarding entries
• Unknown administrative sessions or login activity in router logs
• Unusual outbound connections from router IP addresses to known command-and-control infrastructure
• Modified DNS settings redirecting traffic to malicious servers

Detection Strategies

• Monitor network traffic for anomalous requests to router management ports (typically TCP 80, 443, or 8080)
• Implement network-based intrusion detection signatures for known exploitation patterns targeting NEC Aterm devices
• Review router logs for authentication failures followed by successful command execution
• Deploy honeypot routers to detect scanning activity targeting NEC Aterm vulnerabilities

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable and centralize logging from all NEC Aterm devices to a SIEM platform
• Set up alerts for configuration changes or firmware modifications on network infrastructure devices
• Monitor for traffic patterns consistent with botnet activity originating from router IP addresses
• Conduct periodic firmware version audits across all NEC network equipment

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-28007

Immediate Actions Required

• Disable remote management interfaces on all affected NEC Aterm routers immediately
• Block WAN-side access to router management ports at the network perimeter
• Implement strong network segmentation to isolate vulnerable devices
• Consider replacing end-of-life devices that will not receive firmware updates

Patch Information

NEC Corporation has released security advisory NV24-001 addressing this vulnerability. Organizations should consult the NEC Security Advisory NV24-001 for detailed remediation guidance and firmware update availability.

Note that many affected models span multiple product generations, and some older devices may be end-of-life without available patches. For these devices, replacement with supported hardware is the recommended remediation path.

Workarounds

• Disable WAN-side management access entirely and only manage routers from trusted LAN connections
• Place affected routers behind a firewall that blocks inbound connections to management ports
• Implement MAC address filtering and strong WPA3 encryption to limit local network access
• Schedule regular router reboots to clear any potentially compromised sessions

# Example: Blocking remote management access via iptables on upstream firewall
# Block access to common router management ports from WAN
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp --dport 80 -d 192.168.1.1 -i eth0 -j DROP
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp --dport 443 -d 192.168.1.1 -i eth0 -j DROP
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp --dport 8080 -d 192.168.1.1 -i eth0 -j DROP