CVE-2016-15047 in IP Camera
Summary
by MITRE • 10/10/2025
AVTECH devices that include the CloudSetup.cgi management endpoint are vulnerable to authenticated OS command injection. The `exefile` parameter in CloudSetup.cgi is passed to the underlying system command execution without proper validation or whitelisting. An authenticated attacker who can invoke this endpoint can supply crafted input to execute arbitrary system commands as root. Successful exploitation grants full control of the device, and - depending on deployment and whether the device stores credentials or has network reachability to internal systems - may enable credential theft, lateral movement, or data exfiltration. The archived SEARCH-LAB disclosure implies that this vulnerability was remediated in early 2017, but AVTECH has not defined an affected version range.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-15047 affects AVTECH devices that incorporate the CloudSetup.cgi management endpoint, representing a critical authentication bypass and command injection flaw that fundamentally compromises device security. This vulnerability resides in the improper handling of user input within the CloudSetup.cgi component, specifically targeting the `exefile` parameter that is directly passed to system command execution without any form of input validation or sanitization. The flaw exists at the intersection of inadequate input filtering and insufficient privilege separation, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary commands with root-level permissions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the lack of proper parameter validation within the CloudSetup.cgi endpoint, which follows CWE-78 principles of command injection by directly incorporating user-supplied data into system command execution contexts. When an authenticated user submits malicious input through the `exefile` parameter, the system processes this input without adequate sanitization, allowing attackers to inject operating system commands that execute with the highest privileges available on the device. This represents a classic privilege escalation scenario where the authentication barrier is bypassed through the legitimate management interface, enabling attackers to leverage their authenticated access to achieve full system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple device compromise, as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected AVTECH devices and potentially enables broader network infiltration. Depending on the device deployment environment and configuration, successful exploitation may allow attackers to extract stored credentials, access internal network resources, or establish persistent access points for lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that it operates through a legitimate management endpoint, making detection more challenging and potentially allowing attackers to remain undetected for extended periods. Organizations using AVTECH devices may face significant risk of credential theft, unauthorized network access, and potential data exfiltration from compromised endpoints.
The remediation of this vulnerability requires immediate attention from affected organizations, as the archived SEARCH-LAB disclosure indicates that AVTECH addressed this issue in early 2017 but has not clearly defined the affected version range. Security administrators should implement comprehensive device inventory reviews to identify all affected AVTECH systems and ensure proper firmware updates are deployed. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit access to management interfaces, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect anomalous command execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their AVTECH device configurations to identify any additional attack surfaces that may have been compromised through this vulnerability, as the full scope of potential impact may extend beyond the immediate device compromise to include broader network infrastructure vulnerabilities.