CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-20876NVD status: Modified

Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

CVE-2022-20876 is a high-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command vulnerability in Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware from Cisco, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.33% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 72% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on tools.cisco.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
CiscoCisco Small Business RV Series Router FirmwareNot specified in the recordNot stated
CiscoRv215w Firmware1.0.3.55Not stated
CiscoRv130w Firmware1.0.3.55Not stated
CiscoRv130 Firmware1.0.3.55Not stated
CiscoRv110w Firmware1.0.3.55Not stated
CiscoApplication Extension Platform1.0.3.55Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.14.7MediumCNA (cisco.com)
CVSS 3.17.2HighNVD

Official description

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.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command before it is sent to a downstream component.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • If at all possible, use library calls rather than external processes to recreate the desired functionality.
  • For any data that will be used to generate a command to be executed, keep as much of that data out of external control as possible. For example, in web applications, this may require storing the data locally in the session's state instead of sending it out to the client in a hidden form field.
  • For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.

More Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities (CWE-78)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware

All Cisco Small Business RV Series Router Firmware vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities

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