CVE-2020-3286 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 code on an affected device. The vulnerabilities are due to insufficient boundary restrictions on user-supplied input to scripts in the web-based management interface. An attacker with administrative privileges that are sufficient to log in to the web-based management interface could exploit each vulnerability by sending crafted requests that contain overly large values to an affected device, causing a stack overflow. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the device to crash or allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code 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-2020-3286 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 exists within the web-based management interface which provides administrators with remote access to configure and monitor router settings. This interface represents a prime target for attackers who seek to gain unauthorized control over network infrastructure.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web-based management interface scripts. Specifically the vulnerability manifests as insufficient boundary checks on user-supplied input data that is processed by the device's web server components. When an authenticated attacker with administrative privileges submits maliciously crafted requests containing excessively large parameter values the system fails to properly validate these inputs before processing them. This lack of proper input sanitization creates conditions where stack overflow vulnerabilities can be triggered through carefully constructed malicious requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially catastrophic for affected organizations. A successful exploitation of CVE-2020-3286 allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying operating system of the affected router. This privilege escalation capability means that attackers can gain complete control over the device's functionality including access to all network traffic monitoring capabilities, modification of routing tables, and potential use of the compromised device as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network. The vulnerability also enables attackers to cause denial of service conditions by crashing the device or to establish persistent backdoors for future access.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques such as privilege escalation and command and control communications. The vulnerability specifically relates to CWE-121 which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-20 which covers improper input validation. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest Cisco security patches, restricting administrative access to the web interface, implementing network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement, and monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting administrative access to only necessary personnel and implementing multi-factor authentication for all administrative accounts.