CVE-2021-1195 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-1195 affects Cisco Small Business routers including models RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W, representing a critical security flaw in the web-based management interface that could enable authenticated remote code execution. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the router's web interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the system through carefully crafted HTTP requests. The flaw specifically resides in how the device processes user-supplied data, allowing attackers to bypass normal authentication and authorization checks that should prevent unauthorized system modifications. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, a fundamental weakness that has been consistently identified as a primary attack vector in network security breaches. According to the ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as the successful exploitation allows execution with root privileges.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2021-1195 requires an attacker to possess valid administrator credentials, which establishes a baseline for the attack vector's accessibility but does not eliminate the severity of potential impact. Once authenticated, the attacker can send malicious HTTP requests that trigger the input validation failures, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution on the underlying operating system with root privileges. This privilege escalation capability represents a significant risk as it provides complete control over the router's functionality, including access to network traffic, configuration modifications, and potential lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond direct system compromise, as the ability to cause unexpected device restarts creates a denial of service condition that could disrupt network operations and availability. The lack of available software updates from Cisco for this vulnerability leaves affected organizations without official remediation options, creating a persistent risk that requires alternative mitigation strategies.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate defensive measures including network segmentation to limit access to router management interfaces, enforcing strict access controls, and monitoring for suspicious HTTP traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's nature suggests that implementing web application firewalls could provide additional protection layers, though these solutions are not foolproof against sophisticated attacks. Network administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary management interfaces and implementing multi-factor authentication where possible to reduce the attack surface. The absence of official patches from Cisco highlights the importance of vulnerability management processes and the need for organizations to maintain awareness of unpatched vulnerabilities in their network infrastructure. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability could impact organizations subject to regulations such as pci dss, which requires protection of network devices and systems from known vulnerabilities. The technical complexity of this vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly simple input validation issues can create significant security risks when they occur in critical network infrastructure components, emphasizing the importance of robust security testing and code review processes in embedded system development.