CVE-2020-3277 in RV016
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV320 and RV325 Series Routers and Cisco Small Business RV016, RV042, and RV082 Routers could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with administrative privileges to execute arbitrary commands on an affected device. The vulnerabilities exist because the web-based management interface does not properly validate user-supplied input to scripts. An attacker with administrative privileges that are sufficient to log in to the web-based management interface could exploit each vulnerability by sending malicious requests to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on the underlying operating system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3277 affects Cisco Small Business routers including the RV320 and RV325 series as well as the RV016 RV042 and RV082 models. These devices operate within small business environments where they serve as critical network infrastructure components managing routing and firewall functions. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the web-based management interface which is accessible to authenticated users with administrative privileges. This interface provides a graphical means for administrators to configure and manage router settings, making it a prime target for exploitation when security controls are inadequate.
The technical flaw manifests in the web-based management interface's failure to properly sanitize and validate user-supplied input to scripts that process administrative commands. This represents a classic command injection vulnerability where malicious input can bypass validation mechanisms and be executed with elevated privileges. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the router's operating system through the web interface. When an authenticated attacker submits malicious requests through the management interface, the system processes these inputs without adequate sanitization, allowing arbitrary command execution. This weakness is categorized under CWE-77 and CWE-94 in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, which respectively denote command injection and improper validation of dangerous commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows an attacker with administrative privileges to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on the underlying operating system. This level of access provides complete control over the affected router, enabling the attacker to modify routing tables, disable security features, redirect traffic, or establish persistence mechanisms. The attack requires only administrative login credentials which are often less protected than system-level passwords, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where administrative access is granted to multiple users. The exploitation could lead to complete network compromise, data exfiltration, or disruption of business operations through man-in-the-middle attacks or traffic redirection.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-3277 should focus on immediate firmware updates from Cisco to address the input validation flaws in the web interface. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces and enforce strict access control policies requiring multi-factor authentication for administrative privileges. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 for command and script injection techniques, highlighting the importance of monitoring for unusual command execution patterns. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests, conducting regular security assessments of network infrastructure, and establishing robust network monitoring to detect unauthorized administrative access attempts. Network administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary web management interfaces and restricting access to administrative functions through secure VPN connections only.