CVE-2016-20016: vulnerability

What it is

MVPower CCTV DVR models, including TV-7104HE 1.8.4 115215B9 and TV7108HE, contain a web shell that is accessible via a /shell URI. A remote unauthenticated attacker can execute arbitrary operating system commands as root. This vulnerability has also been referred to as the “JAWS webserver RCE” because of the easily identifying HTTP response server field. Other firmware versions, at least from 2014 through 2019, can be affected. This was exploited in the wild in 2017 through 2022.

Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by mitre, published 2022-10-19).

Weakness: CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command (‘OS Command Injection’)

How it can be exploited

Exploitable over the network with low attack complexity needing no privileges and no user interaction. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses that a public proof of concept exists. Automatable: yes. Technical impact: total.

Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)

Exploit Observer found 1 Exploit-DB entry and 5 code repositories naming this CVE.

• Exploit-DB 41471

Code repositories that name a CVE are often scanners, copies or fakes, and some are malware. Read the code before running anything.

See all 10 references on Exploit Observer

Live scores

EPSS

0.862
very likely to be attacked soon

VEDAS

0.990
strong exploit evidence

On CISA KEV

Not listed

Detection rule

Nuclei · Suricata

Who is affected

Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.

How to fix it

No fixed version or vendor advisory is listed in the CVE record yet. Watch the vendor’s security page.

How to detect it

Nuclei template (active check)

MVPower - Command Injection

MVPower CCTV DVR models, including TV-7104HE 1.8.4 115215B9 and TV7108HE, contain a web shell that is accessible via a /shell URI. A remote unauthenticated attacker can execute arbitrary operating system commands as root.

Name and description quoted from the template, written by VEDAS.

The template sends 1 request (GET /shell?cmd=echo%20vdv52eblg138); it decides using status, word matchers. Severity in the template: critical. Marked as not yet verified against a live vulnerable target.

Run it against a host you own or are authorised to test:

nuclei -u https://your-host -t CVE-2016-20016.yaml

id: CVE-2016-20016

info:
  name: "MVPower - Command Injection"
  author: vedas-arpsyndicate
  severity: critical
  description: |
    MVPower CCTV DVR models, including TV-7104HE 1.8.4 115215B9 and TV7108HE, contain a web shell that is
    accessible via a /shell URI. A remote unauthenticated attacker can execute arbitrary operating system commands
    as root.
  reference:
    - https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2016-20016&match=exact
    - https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=mvpower&match=exact
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.8
    cve-id: CVE-2016-20016
    cwe-id: CWE-78
  metadata:
    verified: false
    max-request: 1
  tags: cve,cve2016,mvpower,dvr,jaws,rce,injection,iot

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{{BaseURL}}/shell?cmd=echo%20vdv52eblg138"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: word
        part: body
        words:
          - "vdv52eblg138"
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200

CVE-2016-20016.yaml on GitHub

Suricata rules (network detection)

1 rule that alert on traffic matching this exploit: VEDAS CVE-2016-20016 MVPower - Command Injection. Add them to your Suricata rule set and reload.

alert http $EXTERNAL_NET any -> $HTTP_SERVERS $HTTP_PORTS (msg:"VEDAS CVE-2016-20016 MVPower - Command Injection"; flow:established,to_server; http.method; content:"GET"; http.uri; content:"/shell"; nocase; fast_pattern; content:"cmd="; nocase; classtype:web-application-attack; reference:cve,CVE-2016-20016; reference:url,https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2016-20016&match=exact; reference:url,https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=mvpower&match=exact; sid:1011812; rev:1;)

CVE-2016-20016.rules on GitHub

Advisories on this CVE

• “ClingSTUN” Linux backdoor turns IoT devices into proxy nodes and hides its C2 inside public STUN traffic (full advisory)

References

Other references

• https://www.pentestpartners.com/security-blog/pwning-cctv-cameras/
• https://blog.netlab.360.com/iot_reaper-a-rappid-spreading-new-iot-botnet-en/
• https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41471

Other databases

• CVE record (cve.org)
• NVD
• Exploit Observer

Where this comes from

This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer, vedas-signatures. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.