CVE-2022-20879 in Small Business RV110W
Summary
by MITRE • 07/21/2022
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W Routers could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on an affected device or cause the device to restart unexpectedly, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. These vulnerabilities are due to insufficient validation of user fields within incoming HTTP packets. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by sending a crafted request to the web-based management interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on an affected device with root-level privileges or to cause the device to restart unexpectedly, resulting in a DoS condition. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker would need to have valid Administrator credentials on the affected device. Cisco has not released software updates that address these vulnerabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2022
The Cisco Small Business routers RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W are vulnerable to multiple security flaws in their web-based management interfaces that could enable authenticated remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions. These devices operate as network infrastructure components that manage local area networks and provide internet connectivity to small business environments, making them attractive targets for cyber adversaries seeking persistent access to corporate networks. The vulnerabilities stem from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the HTTP request processing pipeline, specifically failing to properly sanitize user-supplied data fields in incoming web requests. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate the device's operational behavior through carefully crafted HTTP packets that bypass normal security controls. The affected devices are particularly concerning because they are commonly deployed in small business environments where network security expertise may be limited, and the devices often serve as the primary gateway between internal networks and external internet services.
The technical implementation of these vulnerabilities manifests as insufficient validation of user fields within HTTP packets, which represents a classic example of input validation failure that maps to CWE-20, or "Improper Input Validation." When an authenticated attacker submits maliciously crafted HTTP requests containing specially constructed parameters, the web interface fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before processing them within the device's command execution context. This allows for command injection attacks that can escalate privileges to root level access, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The attack requires an attacker to possess valid administrator credentials, which typically represents a low barrier to entry in small business environments where default credentials may not be changed or where administrative access is shared among limited personnel. The exploitation process involves crafting HTTP requests that contain malicious payloads designed to bypass the device's input sanitization measures and directly influence the system's command processing mechanisms, potentially allowing for complete system compromise.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass complete system compromise and persistent access to network infrastructure. When successful, exploitation can result in arbitrary code execution with root privileges, enabling attackers to install backdoors, modify network configurations, redirect traffic, or establish persistent command and control channels. The device restart functionality, while appearing less severe, can be weaponized to create persistent denial of service conditions that disrupt business operations and potentially mask more sophisticated attacks. These routers often serve as the first line of defense in small business networks, making their compromise particularly dangerous as attackers could use them as stepping stones to access internal network resources, databases, and sensitive corporate information. The lack of available software updates from Cisco compounds the risk, leaving affected organizations with no official remediation path and forcing them to rely on manual configuration changes or network segmentation as temporary protective measures.
Organizations affected by these vulnerabilities should implement immediate defensive measures to reduce exposure, including network segmentation to isolate these devices from critical business systems, implementing strict access controls for the web management interfaces, and monitoring network traffic for suspicious HTTP request patterns. Network administrators should consider disabling the web management interface entirely if it is not required for operations, as the attack surface is reduced when unnecessary services are not exposed to the network. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help identify and block malicious HTTP requests before they reach the vulnerable interface. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive network audits to identify all affected devices and ensure that administrative credentials are properly secured with strong authentication mechanisms. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware and security patches, particularly for network infrastructure devices that are often overlooked in security monitoring programs. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability align with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreters, as well as T1498 for network denial of service, demonstrating how these vulnerabilities can enable broader attack campaigns within compromised networks.