CVE-2021-1214 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 • 02/14/2021
The CVE-2021-1214 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 are commonly deployed in small office and home office environments where they serve as primary network gateways, making them attractive targets for cyber adversaries seeking persistent network access. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the web interface, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to escalate privileges and execute malicious code with root-level system access. This flaw directly violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, specifically addressing injection vulnerabilities that can lead to arbitrary code execution and privilege escalation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess valid administrator credentials, which establishes a baseline authentication requirement that aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1078 Valid Accounts and T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation. The improper input validation occurs within the web management interface parsing logic, where user-supplied HTTP request parameters are not adequately sanitized or validated before being processed by the underlying operating system. This weakness creates a direct code execution path that allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that execute with root privileges, effectively compromising the entire device and potentially the broader network segment it serves. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution to include denial of service conditions through device reloading, which can disrupt network operations and availability.
From an operational perspective, these vulnerabilities pose significant risks to organizations relying on Cisco Small Business routers for network infrastructure, particularly in environments where network segmentation is minimal or absent. The combination of authenticated access requirements with the potential for root-level code execution creates a dangerous attack vector that can lead to persistent backdoors, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within network environments. The lack of available software updates from Cisco for these specific models compounds the risk, leaving affected organizations with limited remediation options and forcing them to implement workarounds or network segmentation strategies to mitigate exposure. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation, which is classified as a high-risk weakness due to its potential for enabling multiple types of attacks including command injection, privilege escalation, and denial of service conditions.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate these devices from critical systems, implementing strict access controls to limit administrator credentials, and monitoring network traffic for suspicious HTTP requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. The absence of official patches from Cisco necessitates proactive security measures such as disabling unnecessary web management interfaces, implementing firewall rules to restrict access to management ports, and establishing network monitoring procedures to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing intrusion detection systems specifically configured to identify patterns associated with this vulnerability type, ensuring that any attempt to exploit these weaknesses is detected and contained before causing significant damage to network operations or data integrity.