CVE-2020-3453 in RV340
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV340 Series Routers could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with administrative credentials to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system (OS) as a restricted user. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2020
The Cisco Small Business RV340 Series Routers present a critical security vulnerability that exposes organizations to remote command execution risks through their web-based management interface. This vulnerability affects multiple models within the RV340 series and represents a significant threat to network security infrastructure. The flaw specifically targets the router's administrative web interface, where authenticated attackers with administrative credentials can leverage the vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. The security implications extend beyond simple privilege escalation as the attacker operates with restricted user privileges rather than root access, yet this still provides substantial control over the affected device.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the web management interface components of the router's operating system. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious inputs that bypass authentication checks and gain unauthorized access to system-level commands. The vulnerability operates through a command injection mechanism that allows the attacker to manipulate the router's processing of user inputs, ultimately enabling execution of arbitrary code on the underlying operating system. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the CWE-77 category, which encompasses command injection flaws that permit attackers to execute arbitrary commands through vulnerable input handling mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations relying on these routers for network management and security. An authenticated attacker with administrative credentials can compromise the entire router, potentially leading to complete network disruption, data exfiltration, or serving as a stepping stone for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The restricted user execution context means that while the attacker cannot immediately escalate to full administrative privileges, they still maintain significant control over the router's functionality and can modify network configurations, access sensitive data, or redirect traffic. This vulnerability particularly affects small business environments where network administrators may not have adequate monitoring or detection capabilities in place.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through official Cisco security patches and updates to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect suspicious activities within the router management interface. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059 technique for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage the router's command execution capabilities to perform malicious activities. Regular security audits of network infrastructure components and implementation of principle of least privilege access controls are essential mitigation strategies. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and maintain detailed logs of administrative activities within the router management interface to facilitate forensic analysis if compromise occurs.