CVE-2024-28052 Overview
CVE-2024-28052 affects the Level1 WBR-6012, a wireless small office/home office (SOHO) router that provides WiFi access, four-port wired routing, port forwarding, DHCP services, a web administration interface, and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP). The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-131] (Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size) and was disclosed in a Cisco Talos vulnerability report (TALOS-2024-1997). A remote, unauthenticated attacker can reach the flaw over the network and trigger a condition that disrupts device availability. The router is widely deployed as an internet gateway in residential and small business environments, where loss of connectivity affects all downstream users.
Critical Impact
An unauthenticated network attacker can disrupt the router's operation, causing loss of internet connectivity for all connected clients without requiring credentials or user interaction.
Affected Products
- Level1 WBR-6012 hardware router
- Level1 WBR-6012 firmware version r0.40e6
- SOHO deployments exposing the device's network services
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-10-30 - CVE-2024-28052 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-28052
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from an incorrect calculation of buffer size [CWE-131] within firmware components of the WBR-6012 router. When the device processes network-supplied input, the firmware computes a length value used for subsequent memory operations. The calculation produces an incorrect size relative to the actual data handled, leading to memory corruption or service termination. The condition is reachable through the device's exposed network services, which include the web administration interface, DHCP server, and UPnP listener.
Exploitation results in denial of service. The CVSS vector specifies no confidentiality or integrity impact and a high availability impact, indicating that the flaw crashes or hangs the router rather than enabling code execution or data theft. Because the router functions as the network gateway, a successful attack removes connectivity for every device behind it.
Root Cause
The root cause is a buffer size miscalculation in the firmware's input handling logic. The firmware does not validate the relationship between a computed length and the destination buffer before performing memory operations. Refer to the Talos Intelligence Vulnerability Report TALOS-2024-1997 for the specific code path and parser involved.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based with low complexity. An attacker sends a crafted request to a network service exposed by the WBR-6012. No authentication, privileges, or user interaction are required. In default SOHO deployments, the affected services are reachable from the local network, and in misconfigured deployments they may be reachable from the wider internet through the router's WAN interface.
No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Verified exploitation details are documented only in the Talos advisory.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-28052
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected reboots, hangs, or service restarts on WBR-6012 devices, particularly correlated with inbound traffic to administrative or UPnP ports
- Loss of DHCP, DNS, or routing services for clients behind the affected router
- Anomalous inbound packets to the router's management interface from untrusted network segments
Detection Strategies
- Monitor router uptime and syslog output for crash signatures or watchdog-triggered reboots that align with the firmware version r0.40e6
- Inspect network traffic for malformed or oversized requests directed at the router's web administration interface and UPnP listener
- Track firmware inventory across managed sites to identify any WBR-6012 units still running vulnerable firmware
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward router syslog and SNMP trap data to a centralized logging platform for crash and availability analysis
- Alert on repeated availability loss of gateway devices, which can indicate active exploitation attempts
- Apply network-level packet captures during outage windows to identify the triggering payload
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-28052
Immediate Actions Required
- Inventory all Level1 WBR-6012 devices and identify units running firmware r0.40e6
- Block external access to the router's web administration interface and UPnP services from untrusted networks
- Restrict management access to a dedicated administrative VLAN or a known trusted host
Patch Information
The vendor advisory has not been published in NVD references at the time of writing. Consult the Talos Intelligence Vulnerability Report TALOS-2024-1997 and the Level1 product support page for firmware updates that address CVE-2024-28052. Apply updated firmware to all affected units once available.
Workarounds
- Disable UPnP on the router if it is not required by connected applications
- Restrict the web administration interface to LAN-side access only and disable remote management on the WAN interface
- Place the router behind an upstream firewall or replace it with a supported device in environments where patching is not feasible
- Segment guest and IoT traffic away from administrative interfaces to reduce the local attack surface
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
