CVE-2017-2873 in C1 Indoor HD Camera
Summary
by MITRE
An exploitable command injection vulnerability exists in the web management interface used by the Foscam C1 Indoor HD Camera running application firmware 2.52.2.43. A specially crafted HTTP request can allow for a user to inject arbitrary shell characters during the SoftAP configuration resulting in command injection. An attacker can simply send an HTTP request to the device to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2023
The CVE-2017-2873 vulnerability represents a critical command injection flaw in the Foscam C1 Indoor HD Camera's web management interface, specifically affecting firmware version 2.52.2.43. This vulnerability resides within the device's SoftAP configuration process, where the web interface fails to properly sanitize user input before executing system commands. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious shell commands through crafted HTTP requests, effectively bypassing the device's security controls and gaining unauthorized access to the underlying operating system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects a widely deployed network security camera model, making it a prime target for exploitation in various attack scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the web application's handling of SoftAP configuration parameters. When users submit HTTP requests to configure the camera's wireless access point settings, the application processes these inputs without adequate sanitization or escaping mechanisms. This lack of input validation creates a direct pathway for command injection attacks where malicious payloads can be executed with the privileges of the web server process. The vulnerability manifests as a classic command injection flaw, which aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-89 classifications, representing a fundamental weakness in how the application constructs system commands from user-supplied data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected device with root-level privileges. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to gain complete control over the camera's functionality, including the ability to modify network configurations, access stored video footage, capture new recordings, or even use the device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the local network. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the device, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network cameras are deployed without proper network segmentation. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1071.004 for application layer protocol.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2873 should focus on immediate firmware updates from Foscam, as the vendor has released patches addressing this specific vulnerability. Network administrators should implement network segmentation to isolate IoT devices from critical network segments, effectively limiting the potential attack surface. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary web management interfaces, implementing strict firewall rules to restrict access to camera management ports, and monitoring network traffic for suspicious HTTP requests. Security professionals should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems capable of identifying command injection patterns and implementing network access control lists to prevent unauthorized communication with affected devices. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly those interacting with system-level functions, and serves as a reminder of the security risks inherent in IoT device management interfaces.