CVE-2024-9004: D-Link DAR-7000 Firmware RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-9004 Overview

CVE-2024-9004 is an operating system command injection vulnerability in the D-Link DAR-7000 internet behavior auditing appliance running firmware versions up to 20240912. The flaw resides in the /view/DBManage/Backup_Server_commit.php script, where the host parameter is passed to an underlying shell without proper sanitization. An authenticated remote attacker can manipulate this parameter to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the device. The exploit has been publicly disclosed. D-Link confirmed the DAR-7000 has reached end-of-life status and will not receive a security patch.

Critical Impact

Authenticated remote attackers can execute arbitrary OS commands on unsupported D-Link DAR-7000 devices through the host parameter, with no vendor patch available.

Affected Products

• D-Link DAR-7000 hardware appliance
• D-Link DAR-7000 firmware versions up to 20240912
• End-of-life devices no longer supported by the maintainer

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-09-19 - CVE-2024-9004 published to NVD
• 2024-09-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-9004

Vulnerability Analysis

The DAR-7000 exposes a web management interface that includes the Backup_Server_commit.php script for configuring backup server connectivity. The script accepts a host parameter intended to specify a target server address. The application concatenates this value into a shell command string and invokes a system call without input validation or argument escaping.

This flaw is classified under CWE-78, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command. An attacker who appends shell metacharacters such as ;, |, or backticks to the host value can break out of the intended command context. The injected commands execute under the privileges of the web server process on the appliance.

The EPSS score sits in a high percentile, indicating elevated probability of exploitation in the near term. Because D-Link declared the DAR-7000 end-of-life, no firmware fix will be issued.

Root Cause

The root cause is unsanitized input flowing from an HTTP request parameter into a shell execution function within Backup_Server_commit.php. The PHP code constructs a command string by directly interpolating the host value rather than using parameterized execution or strict allowlist validation.

Attack Vector

Exploitation occurs over the network against the DAR-7000 web management interface. The attacker submits a crafted HTTP request to /view/DBManage/Backup_Server_commit.php with a malicious host parameter containing shell metacharacters and a follow-on command. The CVSS vector requires low-level privileges, meaning a valid session or weak credentials are needed to reach the vulnerable endpoint. Successful injection grants command execution as the web service account, enabling configuration tampering, credential theft, or pivoting into the internal network the appliance audits.

The vulnerability mechanism is described in the D-Link Security Publication SAP10354 and the VulDB entry #278154.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-9004

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP POST or GET requests to /view/DBManage/Backup_Server_commit.php containing shell metacharacters (;, |, &, backticks, $()) in the host parameter
• Unexpected outbound connections originating from the DAR-7000 appliance to attacker-controlled infrastructure
• New cron jobs, modified startup scripts, or unknown processes running on the appliance
• Web server logs showing requests to Backup_Server_commit.php from unauthorized source addresses

Detection Strategies

• Deploy network intrusion detection signatures that inspect HTTP request bodies destined for /view/DBManage/Backup_Server_commit.php for command injection payload patterns
• Forward web server and authentication logs from the DAR-7000 to a centralized SIEM for correlation against known attacker techniques mapped to MITRE ATT&CK T1059
• Baseline normal administrative traffic to the appliance and alert on deviations such as off-hours access or unfamiliar user agents

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor egress traffic from the DAR-7000 management interface for connections to unknown external hosts
• Audit administrative session activity for unexpected command execution patterns following requests to the vulnerable endpoint
• Track configuration file changes and new persistence artifacts on the appliance through file integrity monitoring where supported

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-9004

Immediate Actions Required

• Inventory all D-Link DAR-7000 devices across the environment and confirm firmware versions
• Restrict access to the DAR-7000 web management interface to a dedicated administrative VLAN or jump host
• Rotate all credentials used to authenticate to the appliance, since exploitation requires low-privilege access
• Plan migration to a supported behavior auditing platform, as the DAR-7000 will not receive security updates

Patch Information

No patch is available. D-Link confirmed in advisory SAP10354 that the DAR-7000 has reached end-of-life and end-of-support status. The vendor recommends retiring affected devices and replacing them with currently supported hardware.

Workarounds

• Place the DAR-7000 management interface behind a firewall that permits inbound traffic only from authorized administrator IP addresses
• Disable remote management access entirely if the appliance can be administered through a local console
• Decommission the device and migrate auditing workloads to a vendor-supported product

# Example iptables rule restricting access to the management interface
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.10.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP