CVE-2026-24698 Overview
CVE-2026-24698 is an operating system (OS) command injection vulnerability in the save_syslog_to_file() function of the httpd binary shipped with Cisco small business routers. The affected devices are Cisco RV130 and RV130W routers running firmware 1.0.3.55, and RV110W routers running firmware 1.2.2.5 or 1.2.2.8. The model_name configuration parameter is not properly sanitized before being passed to a shell context. An authenticated remote attacker can inject arbitrary shell metacharacters and execute commands as root on the device. The weakness is tracked under CWE-78, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Used in an OS Command.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary OS commands with root privileges on affected Cisco RV-series routers, resulting in full device compromise.
Affected Products
- Cisco RV130 router firmware 1.0.3.55
- Cisco RV130W router firmware 1.0.3.55
- Cisco RV110W router firmware 1.2.2.5 and 1.2.2.8
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-08 - CVE-2026-24698 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-07-08 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-24698
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in save_syslog_to_file(), a routine inside the httpd binary that services the router's web management interface. When the function persists syslog configuration to disk, it consumes the model_name configuration parameter and incorporates its value into a command string executed through a shell. Because the parameter is attacker-controllable and not sanitized, shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &, and backticks pass through unmodified. The httpd process runs as root, so any injected command inherits full privileges on the underlying Linux firmware. Successful exploitation delivers complete confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, consistent with the CWE-78 classification.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input neutralization. save_syslog_to_file() treats model_name as trusted configuration data and concatenates it into a command line rather than passing arguments through a safe execution primitive. No allowlist, escape routine, or execve()-style argument array is used before the resulting string reaches the shell.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network reachability to the router's management interface and valid administrative credentials. An attacker submits a crafted model_name value through the affected configuration endpoint. The malicious payload is stored and then invoked when save_syslog_to_file() executes, at which point the shell interprets the injected metacharacters. Because RV130, RV130W, and RV110W devices are end-of-life, no vendor patch has been announced. Technical details are documented in the GitHub IoT Vulnerability writeup.
No verified public exploit code has been catalogued. Refer to the linked research writeup for a description of the vulnerable code path.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24698
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected child processes of the httpd binary on the router, particularly sh, busybox, wget, or nc invocations.
- Configuration entries where the model_name parameter contains shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &&, backticks, or $().
- Outbound connections from the router to unfamiliar IP addresses shortly after administrative logins.
- New or modified files under writable firmware paths such as /tmp or /var following a syslog configuration change.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect stored router configuration for anomalous model_name values that deviate from the expected product string.
- Monitor the administrative HTTP interface for POST requests targeting syslog configuration endpoints with payloads containing shell metacharacters.
- Enable and forward router syslog to a central collector so that command execution artifacts can be correlated with administrative sessions.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Capture NetFlow or firewall logs on the segment hosting the router and alert on egress traffic that originates from the device itself.
- Track authentication events on the management interface and flag logins from unexpected source addresses or outside change windows.
- Baseline the router's normal outbound behavior so that reverse-shell or downloader activity produced by injected commands stands out.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24698
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict access to the router management interface to a dedicated administrative network or VPN, and disable remote WAN administration.
- Rotate administrative credentials and enforce strong, unique passwords to reduce the risk of the required authenticated access.
- Review router configuration for tampered model_name values and reset the device to a known-good configuration if anomalies are found.
- Plan migration off the affected end-of-life models, as continued exposure of the web management interface cannot be safely mitigated.
Patch Information
No vendor security patch is referenced in the CVE record. The Cisco RV130, RV130W, and RV110W platforms are past end-of-life, and firmware 1.0.3.55 (RV130/RV130W) and 1.2.2.5/1.2.2.8 (RV110W) remain the last available images. Replacing the hardware with a currently supported router platform is the definitive remediation.
Workarounds
- Place the router's management interface behind an ACL that permits only trusted administrative hosts.
- Disable HTTP/HTTPS management on the WAN interface and require on-LAN or VPN-based administration.
- Reduce the number of accounts with administrative privileges to limit the pool of credentials that can reach the vulnerable code path.
# Example: restrict management access on an upstream firewall
# Allow only a defined admin subnet to reach the router's HTTPS management port
iptables -A FORWARD -s 10.10.10.0/24 -d <router_ip> -p tcp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -d <router_ip> -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP
iptables -A FORWARD -d <router_ip> -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
