An unpatched vulnerability in the web server of device firmware gives attackers root privileges, researchers said.

Researchers have discovered an unpatched, zero-day vulnerability in firmware for Netgear routers that put 79 device models at risk for full takeover, they said.

The flaw, a memory-safety issue present in the firmware’s httpd web server, allows attackers to bypass authentication on affected installations of Netgear routers, according to two separate reports: One on the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) by a researcher called “d4rkn3ss” from the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group; and a separate blog post by Adam Nichols of cybersecurity firm Grimm.

“The specific flaw exists within the httpd service, which listens on TCP Port 80 by default,” according to the ZDI report, which covers the bug’s presence in the R6700 series Netgear routers. “The issue results from the lack of proper validation of the length of user-supplied data prior to copying it to a fixed-length, stack-based buffer.”

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