CVE-2022-20880 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 RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W routers present a critical security vulnerability classified as CVE-2022-20880 that stems from inadequate input validation within their web-based management interfaces. This flaw exists in the handling of user fields within incoming HTTP packets, creating a pathway for authenticated remote attackers to compromise affected devices. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and represents a classic example of insufficient validation or sanitization of user-supplied data, which aligns with CWE-20 - Improper Input Validation. The affected devices are commonly deployed in small business environments where they serve as network gateways, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking persistent access to corporate networks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess valid administrator credentials, establishing a privilege escalation vector that combines authentication bypass with command execution capabilities. When an attacker crafts malicious HTTP requests containing specially formatted user fields, the web interface fails to properly validate or sanitize these inputs before processing them. This insufficient validation creates opportunities for code injection attacks that can result in arbitrary code execution with root-level privileges. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution to include potential denial of service conditions through device restarts, effectively disrupting network connectivity for legitimate users. The attack surface is limited to the web management interface, which typically operates on standard HTTP ports, making it accessible over the network to authenticated users.
From an operational perspective, these vulnerabilities pose significant risks to small business networks that rely on these routers for connectivity and security. The combination of authenticated remote code execution and denial of service capabilities provides attackers with both persistent access and network disruption capabilities. Organizations using these devices face potential data breaches, network outages, and compromise of their entire network infrastructure. The lack of available software updates from Cisco creates a particularly concerning scenario where organizations must either accept the risk or implement workarounds while waiting for vendor remediation. This vulnerability demonstrates how small business networking equipment often receives insufficient security attention compared to enterprise-grade solutions, creating persistent security gaps in corporate networks.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate these devices from critical systems, enforcing strict access controls through firewall rules, and monitoring for unusual HTTP traffic patterns. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-20 and its potential for privilege escalation places it within the ATT&CK framework's T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter category, where attackers can leverage compromised devices to execute malicious commands. Organizations should consider disabling the web management interface when not actively needed, implementing strong authentication controls, and establishing robust network monitoring to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. The absence of vendor patches for this vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining awareness of unpatched security flaws and implementing compensating controls to protect against known attack vectors.