The widely used series of DrayTek Vigor routers for small businesses have been found to have a significant, pre-authenticated remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability. Researchers caution that if it is exploited, it may enable total device takeover as well as access to a larger network.
The DrayTek Vigor series of business routers has 29 variants that are vulnerable, according to threat detection company Trellix. Although other versions that share the same codebase are also affected, the problem was initially identified in a Vigor 3910 device.
In under 30 days from the time, it was discovered, the Taiwan-based maker delivered firmware patches to fix the flaw.
The vulnerability CVE-2022-3254 could enable a remote, unauthenticated attacker to run arbitrary code and seize total control of a susceptible device. The hacker might get hold of breach private data, spy on network activity, or use the exploited router to run a botnet. Denial of service (DoS) conditions can result from unsuccessful exploitation efforts.
DrayTek Vigor devices benefited from the "work from home" trend during the pandemic to gain a reputation. Over 700,000 online devices were found in a Shodan search, with the majority being in the UK, Vietnam, Netherlands, and Australia. This is susceptible to attack without user input.
The vulnerability can be exploited without the need for user input or passwords thanks to the default device configuration, which allows for both LAN and internet access.
At least 200,000 of the discovered routers were determined by the researchers to expose the vulnerable service on the internet, making them easily exploitable without user input or any other specific requirements. The attack surface is reduced because many of the remaining 500,000 are considered vulnerable using one-click attacks, but only via LAN.
Although Trellix has not detected any evidence of this vulnerability being exploited in the wild, threat actors frequently employ DrayTek routers as a target for their hacks, therefore it's crucial that customers apply the patch as soon as they can.
There have been no indications of CVE-2022-32548, although as CISA recently highlighted, state-sponsored APTs from China and others frequently target SOHO routers.
