CVE-2021-1180 in Small Business
Summary
by MITRE • 01/14/2021
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W Routers could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause an affected device to restart unexpectedly. The vulnerabilities are due to improper validation of user-supplied input in the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by sending crafted HTTP requests to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code as the root user on the underlying operating system or cause the device to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker would need to have valid administrator credentials on the affected device. Cisco has not released software updates that address these vulnerabilities.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/13/2021
The CVE-2021-1180 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw affecting Cisco Small Business routers including RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W models. This vulnerability resides within the web-based management interface of these network devices, creating a pathway for authenticated remote attackers to gain elevated privileges and execute malicious code. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing, allowing attackers to craft malicious HTTP requests that can compromise the device's underlying operating system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental weakness in software design. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can leverage valid administrator credentials to send specially crafted HTTP requests that bypass normal security controls. These requests can trigger buffer overflows or injection attacks that ultimately enable code execution with root privileges, effectively granting attackers complete control over the affected device's operating system. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond arbitrary code execution to include denial of service conditions, where successful exploitation can cause the device to unexpectedly reload or crash, disrupting network connectivity for authorized users.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for small business networks that rely on these routers for connectivity and security management. The requirement for valid administrator credentials means that the attack surface is limited to authenticated users, but this still represents a serious concern given that administrative credentials are often stored in easily accessible locations or may be compromised through social engineering attacks. The attack vector through web-based management interfaces makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from remote locations without physical access to the device. Organizations using these routers face potential data breaches, network disruption, and complete loss of device control, with the potential for attackers to establish persistent access points within their network infrastructure.
The lack of available software updates from Cisco for this vulnerability leaves affected organizations without official remediation paths, forcing them to implement alternative mitigation strategies. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to isolate these vulnerable devices, deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious HTTP traffic patterns, and enforcing strict access controls to limit administrative credential exposure. Additionally, network administrators should regularly audit device configurations and monitor for unauthorized access attempts through the web interface. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and highlights the risks associated with legacy network equipment that may no longer receive vendor support, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. Organizations must also consider implementing network monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior patterns consistent with exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on unusual HTTP request patterns that might indicate attempts to exploit input validation flaws.