CVE-2022-41545

Executive Summary

CVE-2022-41545 is a credential-exposure vulnerability in the administrative web interface of the Netgear C7800 router, confirmed on firmware version 6.01.07. The interface uses HTTP Basic authentication over a cleartext HTTP connection by default, causing the router's administrative username and password to be transmitted as trivially reversible base64 in every authenticated request. An adversary positioned as a man-in-the-middle on the LAN or WLAN can passively capture these credentials and fully compromise the router. No vendor patch has been identified; the vulnerability remains unpatched.

Technical Analysis

The NVD description establishes several important technical facts. First, authentication to the administrative web interface is implemented via HTTP Basic authentication. In this scheme, the client concatenates the username and password with a colon and encodes the result using base64; the resulting string is placed in an HTTP header named Authorization with the scheme Basic. Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption — anyone who observes the header can decode it back to the plaintext username and password using standard tools or a single command.

Second, the web server does not use transport security (TLS/HTTPS) by default. This means every authenticated request made to the administrative interface carries the reusable credential in cleartext on the wire. This is not a flaw in the authentication logic itself; it is a failure to protect credentials in transit. Because the same header is included on every subsequent authenticated request, not only the initial login, the window for an attacker to capture the credential is much wider than in systems that authenticate once and then use session cookies.

Third, the NVD description explicitly states that the exposure occurs over both WLAN and LAN, provided the adversary can perform a man-in-the-middle attack. On a wired LAN, the attacker would need to position themselves on the communication path — for example, through ARP spoofing, DHCP-based attacks, or by controlling a network device. On a WLAN, passive sniffing may be possible if the attacker is on the same wireless network and can decrypt wireless traffic, or if the administrative session is established over an open or attacker-controlled wireless network. The default HTTP-only configuration removes the confidentiality protection that TLS would normally provide.

The NVD record provides no CNA title, CWE, CVSS vector, or additional technical details. No specific URLs, file paths, or parameter names are disclosed beyond the HTTP header mechanism described. Consequently, this report discusses the vulnerability at the class level: cleartext transmission of administrative credentials over HTTP. The affected device is the Netgear C7800 modem/router, with firmware 6.01.07 confirmed affected and other versions potentially affected. No patch, vendor advisory, or firmware download has been identified in available trackers.

Exploitation Scenarios

No public PoC or exploit code has been identified for CVE-2022-41545. The following attack chain is inferred from the NVD description and the known vulnerability class of cleartext HTTP Basic authentication.

1. Reconnaissance / target identification: An attacker on the LAN or WLAN identifies the Netgear C7800 router. The router's administrative web interface is typically reachable via its IP address (often the default gateway) or by discovering an HTTP service that presents a Basic Authentication prompt. The attacker does not require credentials at this stage.

2. Establishing a man-in-the-middle position: To capture traffic on the wired LAN, the attacker uses techniques such as ARP spoofing to redirect traffic between the administrator's workstation and the router through the attacker's machine. On a WLAN, the attacker may operate a rogue access point using the same SSID, or may already be present on the same wireless network and capable of observing unencrypted or decryptable traffic. Once positioned, the attacker waits for an administrator to open the router's administrative interface and perform any authenticated action.

3. Credential capture: Every HTTP request to the administrative interface includes the header Authorization: Basic <base64>. The attacker passively sniffs the request, extracts the base64 string, and decodes it to obtain the plaintext administrative username and password. No injected payload or exploit code is required — the vulnerability is triggered simply by performing an authenticated administrative request over cleartext HTTP.

4. Post-exploitation impact: Using the captured administrative credentials, the attacker can log into the router and reconfigure it. Potential actions include changing DNS server assignments, disabling firewall rules, modifying port forwarding, extracting network secrets, updating or replacing firmware, and establishing persistent remote access. Because the router is the central network gateway, the attacker can pivot to other connected devices, intercept traffic, and perform further network intrusion.

It should be noted that there are no known public exploit artifacts for this CVE; exploitation occurs through standard network sniffing and credential replay, both of which are well-understood and widely supported by available security tools.

Impact Assessment

The primary impact of CVE-2022-41545 is the disclosure of administrative credentials to any party capable of observing network traffic on the affected router's LAN or WLAN. Since the administrative username and password for a router often grant full control over network security settings, the downstream impact can be severe: DNS hijacking, traffic interception, VPN credential theft, lateral movement, and persistent backdoor deployment.

The affected system is the Netgear C7800 router, primarily deployed as a residential or small-office gateway. The blast radius includes all devices relying on the router for internet access, firewall enforcement, and DHCP/DNS services. An attacker who compromises the router can silently redirect traffic to attacker-controlled servers, making subsequent phishing and malware delivery campaigns highly effective.

The CVSS score and vector are listed as N/A, so a quantitative severity assessment based on the official record is not available. The EPSS score is 0.00289, placing it in the 21.5th percentile of exploited CVEs, suggesting low observed exploitation activity. CISA KEV does not list this CVE, and there is no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation from the available data. However, the lack of a patch means the vulnerability persists on deployed devices, and the fact that credentials are exposed silently makes detection difficult. Organizations should treat this as a high-risk issue in environments where the C7800 is used, especially if the administrative interface is reachable over untrusted networks.

Detection Guidance

Detection for this vulnerability focuses on identifying cleartext HTTP traffic containing a Basic Authorization header to a Netgear C7800 administrative interface. Because the router may be accessed by IP address rather than by hostname, network-level logging that captures HTTP headers is the most reliable source of evidence.

Sigma Rule

title: Netgear C7800 Cleartext HTTP Basic Authentication (CVE-2022-41545)
id: 3f6f5c2a-8a1b-4d4e-9f50-c7e052d6a4f1
status: experimental
description: Detects HTTP requests that contain a Basic Authorization header over a cleartext HTTP connection, indicating possible transmission of administrative credentials for a Netgear C7800 router.
logsource:
  category: proxy
  product: zeek
detection:
  selection:
    http.request.line|contains: "Authorization: Basic"
    destination.port: 80
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate HTTP Basic authentication on non-router services
  - Administrative traffic protected by a lower-layer VPN that is not visible to the proxy
level: high
tags:
  - attack.credential_access
  - attack.t1040
  - cve.2022-41545

YARA Rule

rule NETGEAR_C7800_Cleartext_HTTP_Basic_Auth {
    meta:
        author = "ValtersIT Threat Intelligence"
        description = "Detects Netgear C7800 administrative credentials in cleartext HTTP Basic auth captured in PCAP or logs"
        cve = "CVE-2022-41545"
        date = "2025-01-01"
        reference = "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41545"
    strings:
        $auth = "Authorization: Basic" ascii nocase
        $netgear = "NETGEAR" ascii nocase
        $c7800 = "C7800" ascii nocase
        $base64 = /[A-Za-z0-9+\/]{16,}={0,2}/ ascii
    condition:
        $auth and #base64 >= 1 and (1 of ($netgear, $c7800))
}

Suricata IDS Rule

alert http any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2022-41545 Netgear C7800 Cleartext HTTP Basic Authentication"; flow:established,to_server; content:"Authorization: Basic"; nocase; http.header; pcre:"/^Authorization:\s*Basic\s+[A-Za-z0-9+\/]+={0,2}/mi"; sid:202241545; rev:1; metadata:cve CVE-2022-41545;)

This rule detects client-to-server HTTP requests containing a Basic Authorization header. It does not restrict to a destination port or hostname to account for the fact that the router may be accessed via arbitrary IP addresses. Analysts should correlate with subsequent administrative activity.

Elastic Detection

EQL query:

sequence by source.ip with maxspan=10s
  [ network where network.protocol == "http" and destination.port == 80
     and http.request.headers.authorization != null
     and http.request.headers.authorization like "Basic*" ]

This EQL query identifies cleartext HTTP traffic carrying Basic authentication. It can be extended with a filter on destination.ip if the router's IP address is known.

Splunk SPL Query

index=network OR index=proxy dest_port=80
| regex _raw="(?i)Authorization:\s*Basic\s"
| rex field=_raw "(?i)Authorization:\s*Basic\s+(?<b64_creds>[A-Za-z0-9+\/]+={0,2})"
| eval decoded_creds=frombase64(b64_creds)
| table _time src_ip dest_ip dest_port uri http_method http_user_agent b64_creds decoded_creds
| sort - _time

This Splunk query searches network or proxy logs for HTTP Basic Authentication headers and decodes the captured base64 credential. If the decoded value contains a colon, it represents the plaintext username and password.

Wazuh OSSEC Rule

<group name="netgear,cve-2022-41545,web,">
  <rule id="100215" level="12">
    <decoded_as>web</decoded_as>
    <match>Authorization: Basic</match>
    <regex>(\s|^)Authorization:\s*Basic\s+\S+</regex>
    <description>Netgear C7800 administrative credentials transmitted in cleartext HTTP Basic authentication (CVE-2022-41545)</description>
    <group>authentication_attempt,t1040,credential_access,</group>
  </rule>
</group>

This Wazuh rule triggers on log entries containing cleartext HTTP Basic Authorization headers, which is the core exposure mechanism for CVE-2022-41545.

Mitigation & Patch Guidance

Patch confidence is 0/4 — no patch evidence from any tracked source. The CVE is currently considered UNPATCHED.

1. Immediate mitigations:

   • Do not access the Netgear C7800 administrative interface over WLAN or untrusted LAN segments.
   • If remote administrative access is enabled, disable it immediately.
   • Block inbound TCP port 80 to the router from untrusted zones at the perimeter.
   • Access the router only through an encrypted channel, such as an SSH tunnel, VPN, or a jump host that protects the HTTP traffic at a lower layer.
   • Change the administrative password to a unique, strong value. Note that this does not prevent sniffing — credentials will still be exposed in cleartext — but it limits credential reuse and offline guessing after capture.

2. Patch/upgrade steps:

   • Contact Netgear support and monitor vendor advisory channels for a fixed firmware release. No fixed firmware version has been identified as of the latest available data.
   • If a firmware update becomes available, verify its hash or cryptographic signature, test it in a non-production environment, and apply it as soon as feasible.
   • Do not install unverified third-party firmware, as this may introduce additional risk.

3. Long-term hardening:

   • Segment router administration into a dedicated management VLAN with strict access control lists.
   • Replace the Netgear C7800 with a device that supports enforced HTTPS and modern certificate validation.
   • Use WPA3/AES encryption for wireless networks and authenticated switched Ethernet to reduce passive sniffing opportunities.
   • Monitor administrative access through the detection rules above and audit router configuration changes regularly.
   • Assume that any device currently running firmware 6.01.07 may have exposed credentials and rotate all credentials that may share the same password.

References

• NVD — CVE-2022-41545: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-41545
• MITRE CVE: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2022-41545
• CVE Program record: https://cveawg.mitre.org/api/cve/CVE-2022-41545
• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog (not listed): https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
• Netgear Product Support (no advisory identified at time of writing): https://www.netgear.com/support/

No known threat actor campaigns or exploit-in-the-wild evidence for this CVE was identified during analysis. The absence of a public PoC and the lack of a CISA KEV listing suggest that exploitation is not currently widespread, but the unpatched status and silent credential exposure mechanism warrant continued monitoring.