CVE-2016-5065
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2016-5065 is a command injection vulnerability in Sierra Wireless GX 440 devices running ALEOS firmware 4.3.2. Attackers can execute arbitrary commands on affected devices via the Embedded_Ace_Set_Task.cgi endpoint. Organizations using these Sierra Wireless cellular routers are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Sierra Wireless GX 440
📦 What is this software?
Aleos Firmware by Sierrawireless
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete device compromise allowing attackers to install persistent backdoors, intercept network traffic, pivot to internal networks, or render devices inoperable.
Likely Case
Remote code execution leading to device takeover, credential theft, and use as network pivot points.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if devices are behind firewalls with strict inbound filtering and network segmentation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation is straightforward via HTTP requests to the vulnerable CGI endpoint with crafted parameters. No authentication required.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: ALEOS firmware 4.3.3 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.sierrawireless.com/resources/security-bulletins/sierra-wireless-technical-bulletin---cve-2016-5065/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download ALEOS firmware 4.3.3 or later from Sierra Wireless support portal. 2. Log into device web interface. 3. Navigate to System > Firmware Update. 4. Upload and install the new firmware. 5. Reboot device after installation completes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Block CGI endpoint access
linuxUse firewall rules to block access to the vulnerable Embedded_Ace_Set_Task.cgi endpoint
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -m string --string "Embedded_Ace_Set_Task.cgi" --algo bm -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -m string --string "Embedded_Ace_Set_Task.cgi" --algo bm -j DROP
Disable web interface
allDisable the web management interface if not required for operations
ssh admin@device-ip
configure
no web-server enable
commit
exit
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected devices in separate network segments with strict firewall rules
- Implement network monitoring for exploitation attempts and restrict device management to trusted IPs only
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check firmware version via web interface (System > About) or SSH command: 'show version'Check Version:
ssh admin@device-ip 'show version' | grep 'ALEOS'Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm firmware version is 4.3.3 or higher and test that Embedded_Ace_Set_Task.cgi endpoint no longer accepts command injection payloads📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- HTTP requests to Embedded_Ace_Set_Task.cgi with shell metacharacters
- Unusual process execution in device logs
- Failed authentication attempts followed by CGI access
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to /cgi-bin/Embedded_Ace_Set_Task.cgi containing shell commands
- Unusual outbound connections from router to external IPs
SIEM Query:
source="router_logs" AND (uri="*Embedded_Ace_Set_Task.cgi*" AND (content="*;*" OR content="*|*" OR content="*`*" OR content="*$(*"))