CVE-2024-45623: D-Link DAP-2310 RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-45623 Overview

CVE-2024-45623 is a critical remote code execution vulnerability affecting D-Link DAP-2310 wireless access points running Hardware A Firmware version 1.16RC028. The vulnerability exists in the ATP binary that handles PHP HTTP GET requests for the Apache HTTP Server (httpd), allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a stack-based buffer overflow. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects end-of-life products that are no longer supported by D-Link.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can achieve full device compromise through unauthenticated network access, enabling arbitrary code execution on vulnerable D-Link DAP-2310 access points without any user interaction.

Affected Products

• D-Link DAP-2310 Hardware A Firmware 1.16RC028
• D-Link DAP-2310 (End-of-Life/End-of-Support product)
• Earlier firmware versions of D-Link DAP-2310 may also be affected

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-09-02 - CVE-2024-45623 published to NVD
• 2024-09-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-45623

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents a classic stack-based buffer overflow in embedded device firmware. The flaw resides within the ATP binary component of the D-Link DAP-2310's web management interface. When the Apache HTTP Server processes PHP HTTP GET requests, it passes data to the ATP binary without proper bounds checking. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP GET requests with oversized input that exceeds the allocated buffer space on the stack, corrupting adjacent memory and potentially overwriting the return address to redirect execution flow.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means any attacker with network access to the device's management interface can exploit it without authentication. Given that wireless access points are often exposed on internal networks and sometimes inadvertently on the internet, the attack surface is substantial. The CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code) classification indicates the vulnerability allows code injection through the buffer overflow mechanism.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-45623 is insufficient input validation and the absence of proper bounds checking when the ATP binary processes HTTP GET request parameters. The firmware fails to validate the length of user-supplied input before copying it into a fixed-size stack buffer, allowing attackers to overflow the buffer boundaries. This represents a fundamental secure coding failure common in legacy embedded systems where memory-safe programming practices were not consistently applied.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Identifying a vulnerable D-Link DAP-2310 device on the network
2. Crafting a malicious HTTP GET request with carefully constructed payload data
3. Sending the request to the device's web management interface
4. The oversized input overflows the stack buffer in the ATP binary
5. The attacker gains control of the instruction pointer and achieves arbitrary code execution

The vulnerability can be exploited remotely from the network to achieve complete device compromise, including the ability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the web server process.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-45623

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed HTTP GET requests targeting the D-Link DAP-2310 management interface
• Abnormally long query string parameters in HTTP requests to the device
• Unexpected processes or network connections originating from the access point
• Device configuration changes or unexpected reboots
• Network traffic anomalies suggesting command-and-control communications from the device

Detection Strategies

• Deploy network intrusion detection systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures for buffer overflow attempts targeting D-Link devices
• Monitor HTTP traffic to D-Link devices for requests with unusually large parameters or known exploit patterns
• Implement network segmentation to isolate IoT and network infrastructure devices from untrusted network segments
• Enable logging on network devices and collect logs for analysis of suspicious access attempts
• Conduct regular asset inventory scans to identify vulnerable D-Link DAP-2310 devices on the network

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure alerts for any management interface access to D-Link DAP-2310 devices from unauthorized sources
• Monitor for firmware modifications or unexpected configuration changes on access points
• Track outbound connections from network infrastructure devices that may indicate compromise
• Review access logs for the device's web interface for anomalous request patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-45623

Immediate Actions Required

• Identify all D-Link DAP-2310 devices in your environment and inventory their firmware versions
• Restrict network access to the device management interface using firewall rules or VLAN segmentation
• Consider replacing affected devices with currently supported alternatives as the product is end-of-life
• Disable remote management access if not required and limit access to trusted administrative networks only
• Implement network-level monitoring to detect exploitation attempts

Patch Information

D-Link has acknowledged this vulnerability in Security Advisory SAP10406. However, as the D-Link DAP-2310 is an end-of-life product that is no longer supported by the maintainer, no firmware patch will be released. Organizations using this device should plan for hardware replacement with a currently supported product.

Workarounds

• Implement strict access control lists (ACLs) to limit management interface access to trusted IP addresses only
• Place the device behind a firewall that blocks external access to the management interface
• Use a VPN or jump host for administrative access rather than direct network connectivity
• Disable the web management interface if alternative management methods are available
• Consider network micro-segmentation to isolate the device from sensitive network resources

# Example firewall rules to restrict management access (iptables)
# Replace TRUSTED_ADMIN_IP with your actual trusted management IP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s TRUSTED_ADMIN_IP -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s TRUSTED_ADMIN_IP -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP