CVE-2021-1204 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-2021-1204 vulnerability affects Cisco Small Business routers including RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W models, representing a critical security flaw in their web-based management interfaces. These devices operate as network gateways for small business environments, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking persistent access to corporate networks. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web interface components, creating a pathway for malicious exploitation through crafted HTTP requests. This flaw directly violates security principles outlined in CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation" as a fundamental weakness in software design that allows malicious inputs to bypass security controls. The affected devices operate on embedded operating systems that require robust input sanitization to prevent exploitation of buffer overflows, command injection, or other code execution vectors that could compromise the entire network infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated attacker with valid administrator credentials, which significantly reduces the attack surface compared to unauthenticated exploits but still represents a serious security risk in environments where administrative access might be compromised through credential theft, social engineering, or other means. When exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying operating system, effectively providing complete control over the device and potentially enabling lateral movement throughout the network. This code execution capability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" when the attacker leverages the root-level access to establish persistence or escalate privileges further. The potential for device reload or unexpected restarts creates additional denial of service conditions that could disrupt network operations and provide cover for more sophisticated attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-1204 extends beyond immediate code execution capabilities to include significant network availability risks and potential data compromise. Small business networks relying on these routers may experience service disruption during exploitation attempts, while the persistent nature of root-level access could enable attackers to establish backdoors, monitor network traffic, or exfiltrate sensitive information. The lack of available software updates for this vulnerability creates a particularly concerning scenario where organizations cannot remediate the issue through standard patch management processes. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of network segmentation and privileged access controls, as unauthorized access to administrative interfaces could provide attackers with unprecedented control over network infrastructure. Organizations should consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that administrative credentials are properly secured and regularly rotated. The vulnerability also highlights the need for organizations to maintain current threat intelligence regarding known vulnerabilities in network infrastructure devices, particularly those from vendors that may not provide timely security updates for older or less commonly patched equipment.