CVE-2021-1346 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-2021-1346 represents a critical security flaw affecting several Cisco Small Business routers including the RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, and RV325 models. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the web-based management interface, creating a pathway for authenticated remote attackers to compromise the affected devices. The flaw manifests as improper validation of user-supplied input, which directly violates established security principles and creates opportunities for privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution. According to CWE-20, this vulnerability falls under the category of "Improper Input Validation," a fundamental weakness that allows malicious inputs to bypass security controls and potentially lead to system compromise.
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. Once authenticated, the attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests that leverage the input validation flaws to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying operating system. This privilege escalation capability enables attackers to gain complete control over the affected device, potentially allowing them to modify network configurations, exfiltrate sensitive data, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. The attack vector operates through the web-based management interface, which serves as the primary point of interaction for administrators and consequently becomes a prime target for exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-1346 extends beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service conditions that can disrupt network operations. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can cause the affected devices to reload unexpectedly, creating temporary network outages that may affect business continuity and network availability. This dual nature of the vulnerability provides attackers with both offensive capabilities for system compromise and defensive disruption methods for causing service interruptions. The affected devices operate as network gateways and routers, making their compromise particularly dangerous as it can provide attackers with elevated network privileges and potentially serve as a launch point for further attacks within the network perimeter.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate credential management and access control measures, as the attack requires valid administrator authentication to be successful. Network administrators should implement strict access controls, including multi-factor authentication and least privilege principles, to minimize the risk of credential compromise. Regular security updates and patches from Cisco should be deployed immediately upon availability, as the vendor has addressed this vulnerability in their security advisories. Network segmentation and monitoring can help detect unauthorized access attempts or unusual network behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting the importance of monitoring for suspicious administrative activities and command execution patterns within the network infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls to limit access to the web-based management interfaces to trusted administrative networks only, reducing the attack surface for this specific vulnerability.