CVE-2024-39273
Access Control in Wavlink Wl-Wn533A8 Firmware m33a8.v5030.210505
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2024-39273 is a critical-severity Missing Authentication for Critical Function (CWE-306) vulnerability in Wavlink Wl-Wn533A8 Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 9.0 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Steganography (T1001.002); ranked in the top 35% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-14 (Permitted Actions Without Identification or Authentication) and IA-2 (Identification and Authentication (Organizational Users)) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2024-39273 is a firmware update vulnerability in the fw_check.sh functionality of the Wavlink AC3000 router running firmware version M33A8.V5030.210505. The issue allows a specially crafted HTTP request to enable arbitrary firmware updates, stemming from missing authentication for a critical function (CWE-306). It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.0 (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating critical severity with network accessibility, high attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and scope change with high impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability via a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack by intercepting and altering HTTP traffic to the device. Successful exploitation enables the attacker to perform arbitrary firmware updates, potentially allowing full device compromise, such as installing malicious firmware for persistent control or further network attacks.
Mitigation details are available in the Talos Intelligence advisory (TALOS-2024-2037) at https://talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2024-2037.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-38386
Vulnerability Data
A firmware update vulnerability exists in the fw_check.sh functionality of Wavlink AC3000 M33A8.V5030.210505. A specially crafted HTTP request can lead to arbitrary firmware update. An attacker can perform a man-in-the-middle attack to trigger this vulnerability.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 6 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
V6.2.3V6.4.4V10.4.16V12.1.3
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly mandates unique identification and authentication of users before access to functions requiring identity.
Extends the same authentication requirement to non-organizational users accessing critical functionality.
Requires authentication of services before they can invoke or expose critical functions.
Explicitly identifies and limits actions permitted without authentication, preventing critical functions from being exposed.
Access enforcement requires prior authentication before any authorization decision for critical functions.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Managing identities and credentials is a prerequisite for authentication but does not itself enforce it on critical functions.
Directly requires authentication of users/services/hardware, which eliminates missing authentication for critical functions.
Defining and enforcing authorizations assumes prior authentication and therefore only partially mitigates the absence of authentication.
Protecting networks from unauthorized access can be undermined by missing authentication but does not address the root authentication gap.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Mandating authentication requirements for critical functions at the requirements-gathering stage ensures that essential operations are not left unprotected by missing login or verification mechanisms.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (higher-evidence rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
- V-248585 OL 8 must require reauthentication when using the "sudo" command. blocks CWE-306
- V-248827 OL 8 must not have the rsh-server package installed. blocks CWE-306
RHEL 7 (2 rules)
- V-204442 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must not have the rsh-server package installed. blocks CWE-306
- V-237635 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must require re-authentication when using the "sudo" command. blocks CWE-306
RHEL 8 (2 rules)
- V-230492 RHEL 8 must not have the rsh-server package installed. blocks CWE-306
- V-237643 RHEL 8 must require re-authentication when using the "sudo" command. blocks CWE-306