CVE-2021-1324 in RV016
Summary
by MITRE • 02/05/2021
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, and RV325 Routers could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause an affected device to restart unexpectedly. These 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-1324 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple Cisco Small Business routers including the RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, and RV325 models. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web-based management interface of these networking devices, creating a pathway for authenticated remote attackers to compromise the affected systems. The flaw specifically manifests in the improper handling of user-supplied input, which constitutes a fundamental security weakness that directly violates established security principles for input sanitization and validation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess valid administrator credentials, establishing a baseline authentication requirement that limits the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk entirely. Once authenticated, the attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests that exploit the input validation gaps to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying operating system. This privilege escalation capability is particularly dangerous as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected router's functionality and potentially the entire network segment it manages. The vulnerability also enables denial of service conditions through device reloads, which can disrupt network operations and availability for legitimate users.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" as a common weakness that leads to various security issues including code execution and privilege escalation. The attack vector follows patterns consistent with the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and "Command and Scripting Interpreter" phases. The impact of successful exploitation extends beyond simple code execution, as the ability to cause unexpected device restarts creates opportunities for persistent denial of service attacks that can be particularly disruptive in business environments where network availability is critical.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official Cisco security updates and patches, as the vulnerability affects widely deployed networking equipment in small business environments. Network administrators should implement additional security controls including network segmentation, access control lists, and monitoring of administrative access to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware and implementing robust network access controls, as the requirement for valid administrator credentials does not prevent determined attackers who may have obtained these credentials through social engineering, credential theft, or other attack vectors. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any unpatched devices within the network infrastructure that may be vulnerable to similar input validation flaws.