Cyber Resilience

CVE-2024-29973

CriticalPublic PoCRCE

Published: 04 June 2024

Published
04 June 2024
Modified
22 January 2025
KEV Added
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Patch
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CVSS Score v3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.9398 99.9th percentile
Risk Priority 76 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2024-29973 is a critical-severity OS Command Injection (CWE-78) vulnerability in Zyxel Nas326 Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, ranked in the top 0.1% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

Deeper analysis

CVE-2024-29973 is a command-injection flaw, tracked as CWE-78, that resides in the setCookie parameter of the web interface on Zyxel NAS326 devices running firmware prior to V5.21(AAZF.17)C0 and NAS542 devices running firmware prior to V5.21(ABAG.14)C0. The issue was disclosed on 4 June 2024 and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8; the advisory is marked “unsupported when assigned,” indicating the affected hardware had already reached end-of-life.

An unauthenticated attacker can exploit the vulnerability by sending a single crafted HTTP POST request containing operating-system commands in the setCookie field. Successful exploitation grants the attacker arbitrary command execution on the device with no user interaction or authentication required, enabling full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Zyxel’s security advisory directs owners to upgrade to the listed fixed firmware releases; however, because the products are unsupported, no further patches or ongoing maintenance will be provided. The associated EPSS score has reached 0.94, reflecting sustained and widespread exploitation interest since disclosure.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** The command injection vulnerability in the “setCookie” parameter in Zyxel NAS326 firmware versions before V5.21(AAZF.17)C0 and NAS542 firmware versions before V5.21(ABAG.14)C0 could allow an unauthenticated attacker to execute some operating system (OS) commands by sending…

more

a crafted HTTP POST request.

CWE(s)
CWE-78

Related Threats

No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.

Affected Assets

zyxel
nas326 firmware
≤ 5.21\(aazf.17\)c0
zyxel
nas542 firmware
≤ 5.21\(abag.14\)c0

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

SC-27 Platform-independent Applications
addresses: CWE-78

Platform-independent apps typically execute inside a managed runtime or sandbox that restricts direct OS command execution, reducing the ability to exploit OS command injection.

SI-10 Information Input Validation
addresses: CWE-78

Validates inputs to block special elements that would alter OS command execution.

References