CVE-2021-44362 in RLC-410W
Summary
by MITRE • 01/29/2022
A denial of service vulnerability exists in the cgiserver.cgi JSON command parser functionality of reolink RLC-410W v3.0.0.136_20121102. A specially-crafted HTTP request can lead to a reboot. SetCloudSchedule param is not object. An attacker can send an HTTP request to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-44362 represents a critical denial of service weakness within the Reolink RLC-410W security camera firmware version 3.0.0.136_20121102. This issue resides in the cgiserver.cgi component which handles JSON command parsing operations, specifically affecting the SetCloudSchedule parameter functionality. The flaw manifests when the system processes HTTP requests containing malformed JSON data that does not conform to expected object structures. According to CWE-400, this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and error handling within the JSON parsing mechanism, creating an avenue for malformed data to cause system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the SetCloudSchedule parameter within HTTP requests sent to the affected camera device. When the cgiserver.cgi component encounters a request where the SetCloudSchedule parameter fails to represent a proper JSON object structure, the parser experiences a critical failure that results in system reboot. This behavior demonstrates a classic buffer overflow or parsing error condition where the system lacks proper defensive mechanisms to handle unexpected data formats. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which describes turning off services, as the device becomes unavailable during the reboot cycle.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass complete system unavailability for the duration of the reboot process. Network security monitoring systems may detect unusual traffic patterns or device reconnection events, but the primary consequence is the temporary loss of video surveillance capabilities. The vulnerability affects the device's availability and reliability, potentially leaving security perimeters unprotected during the brief period when the camera reboots. Organizations relying on continuous surveillance may experience gaps in their security coverage, particularly in environments where camera uptime is critical for operational continuity.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate firmware updates from Reolink to address the parsing error in the cgiserver.cgi component. Network administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous HTTP requests targeting the affected parameter, as these may indicate attempted exploitation. Access control measures including firewall rules restricting HTTP access to the camera and implementing rate limiting for API requests can reduce exposure windows. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and defensive programming practices, as highlighted by CWE-707, which emphasizes the need for secure coding practices that properly handle malformed data inputs. Organizations should also consider network segmentation to limit access to these devices to authorized personnel only, reducing the attack surface for such denial of service exploits.