CVE-2021-1554 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Cisco Small Business Wireless Access Points are affected by multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface, allowing authenticated attackers to perform command injections. Here's what you need to know about CVE-2021-1554.

Understanding CVE-2021-1554

Cisco Small Business Wireless Access Points are prone to command injection vulnerabilities due to improper input validation, potentially leading to remote attackers executing arbitrary commands with root privileges on the affected devices.

What is CVE-2021-1554?

CVE-2021-1554 refers to multiple vulnerabilities in certain Cisco Small Business 100, 300, and 500 Series Wireless Access Points that enable attackers to launch command injection attacks through the web-based management interface.

The Impact of CVE-2021-1554

These vulnerabilities could be exploited by authenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on the affected Wireless Access Points. Successful exploitation requires valid administrative credentials.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-1554

The following technical details shed light on the vulnerability:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerabilities stem from inadequate validation of user-supplied input in the web-based management interface, paving the way for command injection attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

The Cisco Business Wireless Access Point Software is impacted, and all versions are susceptible to these vulnerabilities.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit these vulnerabilities by sending malicious HTTP requests to the web-based management interface of the affected Cisco Small Business Wireless Access Points.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting your systems against CVE-2021-1554 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Ensure access controls are configured properly to limit administrative privileges.
Regularly monitor and apply security patches provided by Cisco to address these vulnerabilities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strong password policies and employ multi-factor authentication.
Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to detect and mitigate vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from Cisco and promptly apply recommended patches and updates to safeguard your systems.