CVE-2026-16843 in DS-3WAP521-SI
Summary
by MITRE • 07/31/2026
Some Hikvision Wireless Access Points are vulnerable to authenticated command execution due to insufficient input validation. Attackers with valid credentials can exploit this flaw by sending crafted packets containing malicious commands to affected devices, leading to arbitrary command execution.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/31/2026
Hikvision wireless access points present a critical security vulnerability that enables authenticated command execution through inadequate input validation mechanisms within their network protocols. This flaw exists in the device's handling of user-supplied data during packet processing, where the system fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming commands before executing them. The vulnerability specifically affects wireless access points that process network packets containing potentially malicious payloads, creating an attack surface where legitimate users with valid credentials can escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code on the affected devices.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user inputs within the device's command processing pipeline. When authenticated users send crafted packets containing malicious commands, the system lacks proper input sanitization measures that would normally filter out dangerous sequences or malformed data. This absence of proper validation allows attackers to inject shell commands or other executable code directly into the device's processing environment. The flaw operates at the protocol level where network traffic is parsed and interpreted, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard network communication channels without requiring physical access or specialized equipment beyond valid authentication credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, potentially allowing attackers to gain complete control over affected wireless access points. Once exploited, the arbitrary command execution capability enables threat actors to modify device configurations, install backdoors, redirect network traffic, or even use the compromised devices as launching points for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability's authenticated nature means that an attacker must first obtain valid user credentials, but this requirement does not significantly diminish the risk since many organizations maintain weak credential practices or may have credentials exposed through other attack vectors such as credential stuffing or phishing campaigns.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including enforcing strong authentication controls, implementing network segmentation to limit access to wireless infrastructure, and deploying intrusion detection systems that can monitor for anomalous command execution patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-78 categories under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, specifically addressing issues related to command injection and improper input validation. From an adversarial perspective, this flaw maps directly to ATT&CK techniques such as T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it a significant concern for organizations following MITRE's adversary behavior taxonomy.
Security teams should prioritize patch management for affected Hikvision wireless access point models and consider implementing additional monitoring controls around device configuration changes and command execution logs. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in network infrastructure devices and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the software development lifecycle. Organizations should also review their credential management practices to ensure that valid accounts are properly secured with strong authentication mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication where possible, to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation even if the underlying vulnerability remains unpatched temporarily.