CVE-2021-44971 in AC15V1.0
Summary
by MITRE • 01/28/2022
Multiple Tenda devices are affected by authentication bypass, such as AC15V1.0 Firmware V15.03.05.20_multi?AC5V1.0 Firmware V15.03.06.48_multi and so on. an attacker can obtain sensitive information, and even combine it with authenticated command injection to implement RCE.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-44971 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw affecting multiple Tenda wireless router models including AC15V1.0 and AC5V1.0 devices running specific firmware versions. This vulnerability stems from improper authentication mechanisms within the device's web management interface, allowing unauthenticated attackers to gain access to sensitive system information and potentially escalate privileges to achieve remote code execution. The flaw specifically impacts devices where the firmware versions contain weak session management and inadequate access control checks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of predictable session identifiers and insufficient validation of authentication tokens within the device's administrative interface. Attackers can leverage this weakness to bypass the standard login process and directly access the device configuration pages, system status information, and diagnostic tools. This authentication bypass enables threat actors to extract sensitive data including network configuration details, user credentials, and system parameters that would normally be restricted to authenticated administrators. The vulnerability manifests through the manipulation of HTTP requests and session cookies, allowing unauthorized access to administrative functions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to network security as it allows attackers to gain full administrative control over affected devices without requiring valid credentials. The ability to combine this authentication bypass with authenticated command injection capabilities creates a complete attack chain leading to remote code execution, enabling threat actors to install malware, establish backdoors, or launch further attacks against the internal network. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising confidentiality through information disclosure, integrity through unauthorized modifications, and availability through potential device compromise or denial of service.
The impact extends beyond individual device compromise to potentially affect entire network infrastructures, as compromised routers can serve as attack vectors for lateral movement within corporate or residential networks. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the T1078 Valid Accounts and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter techniques, as it enables persistent access and remote code execution capabilities. Organizations should also reference CWE-287 Improper Authentication as the underlying weakness that enables this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate firmware updates from Tenda to address the authentication bypass mechanism, implementation of network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, and deployment of network monitoring solutions to detect suspicious authentication attempts. Additionally, administrators should disable unnecessary administrative services, implement strong access controls, and regularly audit device configurations to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper authentication design and continuous security testing of network infrastructure devices, particularly those with web-based management interfaces that are frequently targeted by cyber threat actors.