CVE-2021-1330 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-2021-1330 represents a critical security flaw affecting Cisco Small Business routers including models RV016 RV042 RV042G RV082 RV320 and RV325. This issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web-based management interface of these network devices. The flaw exists in how the affected routers process user-supplied data through their web administration portals, creating potential entry points for malicious actors to compromise device integrity and operational continuity. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects multiple router models within Cisco's small business product line, suggesting a systemic architectural weakness that impacts a significant portion of enterprise and small office networks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted HTTP requests that bypass proper input sanitization checks within the web interface. When an authenticated attacker with valid administrator credentials submits maliciously formatted input to the router's management interface, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize this data before processing. This improper validation allows the attacker to inject arbitrary code that executes with root privileges on the underlying operating system. The vulnerability manifests in two primary ways: code execution capabilities that enable full system compromise and denial of service conditions that can cause unexpected device reboots. The root privilege execution aspect particularly aligns with CWE-79 which addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities and CWE-119 which covers buffer overflow conditions. From an attack framework perspective this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1499 for endpoint denial of service.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-1330 extends beyond simple network disruption to potentially enable complete system compromise of affected devices. Once an attacker gains code execution privileges, they can establish persistent access to the network infrastructure, potentially using the compromised router as a pivot point for further attacks against internal network segments. The denial of service component creates additional operational concerns as unexpected device reboots can disrupt network connectivity and business operations. The requirement for valid administrator credentials means that the vulnerability cannot be exploited remotely without prior compromise of administrative accounts, but this still represents a significant risk in environments where administrative credentials might be weak or compromised through social engineering attacks. Organizations with these affected router models face potential exposure to advanced persistent threats that could leverage this vulnerability for long-term network infiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-1330 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. Cisco has released patches addressing this vulnerability through their security advisory updates, making patch management a critical immediate action for affected organizations. Network administrators should prioritize updating all affected router models to the latest firmware versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation by restricting lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability highlights the importance of principle of least privilege in network administration, where administrative access should be restricted to only necessary personnel and devices. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From a defense-in-depth perspective, regular security assessments of network infrastructure and mandatory credential rotation policies can help reduce the risk associated with this vulnerability and similar input validation flaws. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper input validation practices in network infrastructure devices to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.