CVE-2021-1343 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-2021-1343 affects Cisco Small Business routers including models RV016 RV042 RV042G RV082 RV320 and RV325. These devices operate with web-based management interfaces that serve as primary access points for administrative configuration and monitoring. The security flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the web interface components that process HTTP requests from remote administrators. This represents a classic security weakness where the system fails to properly sanitize or validate data provided by users before processing it, creating potential entry points for malicious actors. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it exists within the management interface that legitimate administrators use to configure and maintain network devices, making it a high-value target for attackers seeking persistent access to network infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper validation of user-supplied input in the web-based management interface components of these routers. When an attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to the affected devices, the system fails to adequately validate the input parameters before processing them. This allows malicious input to be interpreted as commands that can be executed within the device's operating system. The flaw enables privilege escalation from regular administrator access to root-level execution privileges, which represents a severe security compromise. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation, which covers issues where input is not properly validated before being processed by the application. The exploitation mechanism relies on the attacker having valid administrator credentials, which means the vulnerability requires an initial foothold but then provides significant escalation capabilities once achieved.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-1343 extends beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service conditions that can disrupt network operations. When successfully exploited, attackers can execute arbitrary code as the root user on the underlying operating system, which provides complete control over the device's functionality. This includes the ability to modify network configurations, install malicious software, or establish backdoors for persistent access. Additionally, the vulnerability can cause the affected device to reload unexpectedly, leading to denial of service conditions that can disrupt network connectivity for the entire affected network segment. The attack vector requires network access to the device's management interface and valid administrator credentials, which means that the vulnerability is exploitable from remote locations but requires prior authentication. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the ATT&CK framework under T1078 Valid Accounts and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it leverages legitimate administrative credentials to execute malicious commands.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates a critical flaw in the security architecture of these network devices, where the web interface serves as an attack surface that lacks proper input sanitization mechanisms. The fact that the vulnerability requires valid administrator credentials to exploit indicates that it may be difficult to discover through automated scanning, but once an attacker gains administrative access through other means such as credential theft or social engineering, the vulnerability becomes extremely dangerous. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, enforcing strong authentication mechanisms, and regularly monitoring for unusual administrative activities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in web applications and serves as a reminder that even authenticated administrative interfaces can contain critical security flaws that can be exploited to gain complete system control. Regular firmware updates and security patches are essential for mitigating this risk, as Cisco has released fixes for these vulnerabilities in subsequent software releases.