CVE-2021-1189 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-2021-1189 vulnerabilities affect Cisco Small Business routers including RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W models, presenting critical security risks through their web-based management interfaces. These devices operate within small business environments where network security is paramount, yet they remain susceptible to sophisticated exploitation techniques that could compromise entire network infrastructures. The vulnerabilities stem from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web interface, creating pathways for authenticated remote attackers to gain unauthorized system control. This flaw represents a fundamental weakness in the device's security architecture, as it allows attackers with valid administrative credentials to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code with root-level access to the underlying operating system.
The technical exploitation of these vulnerabilities occurs through carefully crafted HTTP requests that bypass normal input validation checks within the web management interface. The improper validation of user-supplied input creates injection points where malicious payloads can be executed directly on the router's operating system. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-20: Improper Input Validation, which specifically addresses insufficient validation of input data that can lead to code execution and privilege escalation. The attack vector requires an authenticated session, meaning that attackers must first obtain valid administrator credentials through social engineering, credential theft, or other means. Once authenticated, the attacker can leverage these vulnerabilities to execute commands with root privileges, effectively taking complete control of the device and potentially the entire network segment it serves.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service conditions that could disrupt business operations. When exploited successfully, the vulnerabilities can cause the affected devices to reload unexpectedly, creating network outages that may persist until manual intervention occurs. This dual nature of the vulnerability - providing both code execution capabilities and denial of service potential - makes it particularly dangerous for small business environments where network uptime is critical. The lack of available software updates from Cisco significantly compounds the risk, leaving affected organizations without official remediation paths and forcing them to rely on manual mitigation strategies or network segmentation approaches. The vulnerability affects devices that typically serve as primary network gateways, making their compromise particularly impactful for business continuity and network security posture.
Organizations affected by CVE-2021-1189 should implement immediate network segmentation strategies to isolate vulnerable devices from critical network resources and establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. The absence of official patches from Cisco necessitates the deployment of network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious HTTP request patterns and anomalous behavior within the affected device management interfaces. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive credential audits to ensure that administrative access is properly restricted and that only authorized personnel maintain valid credentials. Additionally, implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative access and establishing strict access control policies can help reduce the attack surface for these vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1059.001 - Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1499.004 - Endpoint Denial of Service, highlighting the need for layered defensive strategies that address both execution and availability concerns in network infrastructure security.