CVE-2016-1334 in Small Business 500 Wireless Access Point
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Small Business 500 Wireless Access Point devices with firmware 1.0.4.4 allow remote attackers to set the system time via a crafted POST request, aka Bug ID CSCuy01457.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1334 affects Cisco Small Business 500 Wireless Access Point devices operating with firmware version 1.0.4.4 and potentially other affected versions. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that allows remote attackers to manipulate the system time of these network devices through a specially crafted POST request. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it enables attackers to alter critical system parameters without requiring authentication or physical access to the device, making it a serious threat to network infrastructure security. The bug ID CSCuy01457 provides additional context for Cisco's internal tracking and remediation efforts.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the web interface of the wireless access point. When the device receives a crafted POST request containing malicious time parameters, it fails to properly validate the input before applying the time change to the system. This lack of proper sanitization creates an injection vector that allows attackers to manipulate the device's internal clock. The vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and more specifically relates to CWE-74, which covers injection flaws. The root cause appears to be the absence of proper authorization checks and parameter validation in the time-setting functionality of the web management interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple time manipulation and can significantly compromise network security and integrity. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially disrupt network operations by setting incorrect system times, which may interfere with time-sensitive network protocols, logging mechanisms, and security event tracking. The altered system time could also affect certificate validation processes, as many security protocols rely on accurate timekeeping to validate digital certificates and prevent replay attacks. Furthermore, this vulnerability enables attackers to potentially synchronize malicious time changes across multiple devices in a network, creating coordinated disruption or creating windows for additional attacks. The ability to manipulate system time without authentication provides attackers with a foundational capability for more sophisticated attacks that rely on time-based deception or manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate firmware updates from Cisco to address the specific flaw in the web interface implementation. Network administrators should also implement network segmentation to limit access to these devices and deploy intrusion detection systems that can monitor for suspicious POST requests targeting the device management interfaces. The implementation of proper access controls and network monitoring can help detect unauthorized attempts to modify system parameters. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary web management interfaces when not actively required, as this reduces the attack surface. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and defense evasion through time manipulation, making it particularly dangerous when combined with other attack vectors. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar flaws in other network infrastructure components, as this type of input validation weakness is commonly found in embedded network devices.