D-Link has issued a security alert about a critical-severity vulnerability, CVE-2024-10914, that affects several of its discontinued Network Attached Storage (NAS) models. The vulnerability, with a CVSS score of 9.2, resides in the account management functionality of affected devices. Specifically, the flaw occurs because the “name” parameter is not properly sanitized when adding new users, making it possible for an unauthenticated attacker to inject arbitrary shell commands via specially crafted HTTP GET requests. This vulnerability has the potential for remote exploitation, exposing sensitive devices to a variety of attacks.
The affected models include D-Link’s DNS-320, DNS-320LW, DNS-325, and DNS-340L NAS devices, with over 61,000 vulnerable devices connected to the internet, according to security researchers. However, the issue is not limited to these models. D-Link has confirmed that 16 other discontinued NAS devices are also impacted, and the company is unable to address the flaw, as all support for these models has been discontinued. Some of the affected devices were retired up to a decade ago, leaving no possibility for future software updates or security patches.
As D-Link no longer offers device software updates or customer support for these end-of-life (EOL) and end-of-service-life (EOS) products, it has recommended that users retire these devices and migrate to supported models. The company urges U.S. customers to ensure that their firmware is up to date, though the vulnerability remains unresolved for these legacy devices. The lack of a fix for these outdated products highlights the risks associated with using unsupported hardware, particularly in an environment where cyberattacks continue to increase.
For users outside the U.S., D-Link suggests considering third-party firmware options for affected devices. However, the company emphasizes that it does not support these third-party solutions, and installing them will void the device warranty. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the security risks tied to outdated technology, particularly for devices still in use despite being officially retired. D-Link’s advice to retire the devices and switch to supported models aims to mitigate the risk and ensure continued security for users.
