CVE-2021-1182 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/13/2021
The CVE-2021-1182 vulnerability affects Cisco Small Business routers including RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W models, presenting critical security risks through their web-based management interfaces. These devices operate as network gateways in small business environments, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking persistent access to corporate networks. The vulnerabilities stem from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web interface, creating pathways for malicious exploitation that could compromise the entire network infrastructure. The affected devices typically serve as the primary entry point for network administration and monitoring, making their security paramount to overall network defense.
The technical flaw manifests in improper validation of user-supplied input within the web-based management interface, specifically in how HTTP requests are processed and validated. This vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, a fundamental security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious data into applications. When an authenticated attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to the affected device, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate the input parameters, enabling code injection attacks. The vulnerability allows for arbitrary code execution with root privileges, effectively granting attackers complete control over the underlying operating system. This represents a critical privilege escalation issue where legitimate administrative access becomes a vector for complete system compromise.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities is severe and multifaceted, encompassing both persistent security breaches and availability disruptions. Successful exploitation enables attackers to execute arbitrary code as the root user, potentially leading to complete network compromise, data exfiltration, or establishment of persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. The ability to cause unexpected device reboots creates additional attack vectors for denial of service conditions that can disrupt business operations. These routers often serve as critical network components for small businesses, and their compromise can result in extended downtime, regulatory compliance violations, and potential financial losses. The vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they require only valid administrator credentials, which are often weak or reused across multiple systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-1182 should prioritize immediate administrative actions to prevent exploitation while implementing long-term security improvements. Organizations should immediately disable remote management access to affected devices when possible, implement strong authentication controls including multi-factor authentication, and ensure all administrator credentials are strong and unique. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit the attack surface, and regular monitoring should be established to detect suspicious activities in network traffic. The lack of available software updates from Cisco for these vulnerabilities necessitates additional defensive measures including network intrusion detection systems, firewall rules to restrict access to management interfaces, and comprehensive network access control policies. Security teams should also consider implementing zero-trust network architectures that minimize the risk of lateral movement within compromised networks. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all affected devices and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing router compromise scenarios.