CVE-2021-1205 in Operating System
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-2021-1205 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 as network gateways and security appliances in small business environments, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals seeking persistent access to corporate networks. The vulnerabilities stem from insufficient 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 configuration management, making their security paramount to overall network protection.
The technical flaw manifests as improper input validation in the web-based management interface, specifically within the handling of user-supplied HTTP requests. This vulnerability pattern aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental weakness in software security design. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious HTTP requests that bypass normal validation checks, allowing them to inject and execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying operating system. The authentication requirement for exploitation means that an attacker must first obtain valid administrator credentials, which could be acquired through social engineering, credential reuse attacks, or previous successful breaches. The lack of software updates from Cisco for these specific vulnerabilities represents a significant gap in vendor support for legacy devices.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple code execution capabilities to include potential denial of service conditions that could disrupt business operations. When exploited successfully, the vulnerabilities allow attackers to cause unexpected device reboots, creating service interruptions that may go unnoticed in critical network infrastructure. This denial of service capability, combined with the arbitrary code execution potential, provides attackers with complete control over the affected devices, enabling them to modify network configurations, redirect traffic, or establish persistent backdoors. The root privilege execution capability means that attackers can manipulate core system functions, potentially compromising network security policies and accessing sensitive data flows. The impact is particularly severe in small business environments where IT resources may be limited and network monitoring capabilities may be insufficient to detect such sophisticated attacks.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate affected devices from critical systems, implementing strong access controls and multi-factor authentication for administrative access, and monitoring network traffic for suspicious HTTP request patterns. The lack of vendor updates for these specific vulnerabilities necessitates alternative defensive measures such as deploying network intrusion detection systems and conducting regular security assessments. Security teams should also consider disabling the web-based management interface entirely when possible, using SSH or other secure protocols for administrative access, and implementing strict network access controls to limit exposure. The vulnerabilities demonstrate the importance of maintaining current security patches and the risks associated with supporting legacy network equipment, as these devices often lack the security updates necessary to protect against modern threats. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for command and script interpreter, and T1498 for network denial of service, highlighting the comprehensive attack surface that these devices present to adversaries.