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NetUSB Impacts the Security of Millions of Devices Worldwide

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Re: NetUSB Impacts the Security of Millions of Devices Worldwide

#5
The client can specify the length of the computer name. By specifying a name longer than 64 characters

What sort of programmer writes code to handle a protocol with a length field and yet uses a fixed-size buffer without ever considering the possibility of what would happen if it could be larger than the buffer...?

I've seen plenty of source code out there, written for educational/example purposes, where arrays to hold strings are declared with an arbitrary size and no justification why - and naturally, no consideration of this fact is made evident. It's a horrible habit to get into writing code like that, since it makes others, less knowledgeable, think it's acceptable...

Re: NetUSB Impacts the Security of Millions of Devices Worldwide

#6
I can't tell if the response from NETGEAR is just sensationalized and they are actually working on firmware updates that will fix the flaw or at least allow firewalling or disabling the feature. I would hope they don't think that "it can't be fixed" is actually an acceptable long term answer.

Re: NetUSB Impacts the Security of Millions of Devices Worldwide

#7

I can't tell if the response from NETGEAR is just sensationalized and they are actually working on firmware updates that will fix the flaw or at least allow firewalling or disabling the feature. I would hope they don't think that "it can't be fixed" is actually an acceptable long term answer.

I have reported vulns to NetGear before. They don't have any sort of security department, nor a method to handle vulnerability reports.

I have no idea what the truth actually is, but my experience would lead me to believe worst case.

Re: NetUSB Impacts the Security of Millions of Devices Worldwide

#8

The client can specify the length of the computer name. By specifying a name longer than 64 characters What sort of programmer writes code to handle a protocol with a length field and yet uses a fixed-size buffer without ever considering the possibility of what would happen if it could be larger than the buffer...? I've seen plenty of source code out there, written for educational/example purposes, where arrays to ho…

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Re: NetUSB Impacts the Security of Millions of Devices Worldwide

#9
Looks like most home router manufacturers are mindlessly plugging modules from various vendors to their devices' firmware, to add features.

Are there manufacturers or product lines that are safe(r) from such approach? Are alternative firmware such as OperWRT or independent open-source firmwares (m0n0wall, pfSense, OPNsense) better in this regard?

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