CVE-2021-1148 : Security Advisory and Response

Cisco Small Business RV Series Routers are affected by multiple vulnerabilities in their web-based management interface, allowing remote attackers to inject arbitrary commands with root privileges.

Understanding CVE-2021-1148

This vulnerability impacts Cisco Small Business RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W Routers through the web-based management interface, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution by an attacker with valid administrator credentials.

What is CVE-2021-1148?

CVE-2021-1148 refers to the command injection vulnerabilities present in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV Series Routers, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code as the root user on the operating system.

The Impact of CVE-2021-1148

The presence of these vulnerabilities poses a high risk, with a CVSS base score of 7.2 and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Unauthorized attackers could exploit this flaw to compromise the affected devices.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-1148

The vulnerability arises due to improper validation of user inputs in the web-based management interface, allowing attackers to send crafted HTTP requests to execute arbitrary commands as the root user.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerabilities in Cisco Small Business RV Series Routers enable authenticated remote attackers to inject arbitrary commands, leveraging root-level privileges.

Affected Systems and Versions

Cisco Small Business RV110W, RV130, RV130W, and RV215W Routers are impacted by these vulnerabilities due to flaws in the web-based management interface.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit CVE-2021-1148 by sending malicious HTTP requests to targeted devices, leading to the execution of arbitrary code with root privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

To secure the affected devices, it is crucial to take immediate steps and implement long-term security practices, including applying necessary patches and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Administrators should ensure that valid administrator credentials are protected and consider limiting access to the web-based management interface to trusted entities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regular security assessments, network segmentation, and monitoring of network traffic can mitigate the risk of exploitation and unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

While Cisco has not released software updates addressing these vulnerabilities at the moment, users are advised to frequently check for patches and apply them promptly as they become available.