CVE-2018-14010 in R3P
Summary
by MITRE
OS command injection in the guest Wi-Fi settings feature in /cgi-bin/luci on Xiaomi R3P before 2.14.5, R3C before 2.12.15, R3 before 2.22.15, and R3D before 2.26.4 devices allows an attacker to execute any command via crafted JSON data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical operating system command injection flaw in the web interface of Xiaomi routers running firmware versions prior to the specified patches. The vulnerability exists within the guest Wi-Fi settings functionality accessible through the /cgi-bin/luci web interface, which is a common management interface for OpenWrt-based devices. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary system commands by submitting specially crafted JSON data to the vulnerable endpoint. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-77 which specifically addresses command injection flaws, where user-supplied input is directly incorporated into operating system commands without proper sanitization or validation. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it requires no authentication and can be exploited remotely through the web interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the JSON processing logic of the web application. When administrators or users submit guest Wi-Fi configuration data through the web interface, the application fails to properly sanitize the JSON input before using it in system command execution contexts. This allows an attacker to inject malicious commands that get executed with the privileges of the web server process, typically root or a high-privilege user. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic lack of proper input sanitization and output encoding practices, which are fundamental security controls recommended by the OWASP Top Ten and ISO/IEC 27001 standards. Attackers can leverage this to gain full control over the device, potentially leading to persistent backdoors, network reconnaissance, or use of the device as a launch point for attacks on other networked systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple device compromise, as it creates a persistent threat vector for network attackers. Once exploited, the attacker gains complete administrative control over the affected router, enabling them to modify network configurations, redirect traffic, monitor communications, or establish persistent access points. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1046 for network service discovery. The vulnerability affects multiple router models including R3P, R3C, R3, and R3D, indicating a widespread issue across Xiaomi's router product line. The affected firmware versions suggest this was a long-standing issue that required significant patching effort to resolve. Organizations using these devices face potential exposure to man-in-the-middle attacks, DNS hijacking, and unauthorized network access, particularly in environments where these routers are deployed without proper network segmentation or monitoring.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate firmware updates to the patched versions mentioned in the CVE description, as well as implementing network-level controls to restrict access to the web management interface. Network administrators should consider implementing firewall rules to block access to the /cgi-bin/luci endpoint from untrusted networks, and deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious JSON data patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation at multiple layers of application architecture and demonstrates why security-by-design principles are crucial for embedded systems. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit the potential impact of compromised devices and establish monitoring procedures for unauthorized configuration changes. Regular security assessments of network infrastructure, including firmware version checks and vulnerability scanning, should be conducted to identify similar issues in other network devices. Additionally, the use of secure coding practices, including parameterized queries and input sanitization, should be enforced across all web applications to prevent similar command injection vulnerabilities from emerging in future deployments.