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Upgrade to ProDetect DD-WRT Stack-Based Buffer Overflow Exploitation Attempt (CVE-2021-27137) in Splunk
Detects exploitation attempts against a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-121) in DD-WRT firmware. The flaw allows an attacker with network access to the DD-WRT web management interface to trigger a stack overflow via crafted HTTP requests, potentially leading to remote code execution or denial of service on the router/embedded device. This CVE is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild. Detection focuses on abnormal HTTP requests to DD-WRT management interfaces (oversized parameters, malformed CGI requests), unexpected crash/restart of httpd or DD-WRT management processes, and post-exploitation network behavior originating from embedded/IoT network segments.
MITRE ATT&CK
- Tactic
- Initial Access Impact Execution
SPL Detection Query
index=network sourcetype=cisco:asa OR sourcetype=fw:generic OR sourcetype=stream:http
| eval req_len=len(uri)
| where (dest_port=80 OR dest_port=443 OR dest_port=8080) AND (like(uri, "%cgi-bin%") OR like(uri, "%apply.cgi%") OR like(uri, "%management.asp%"))
| where req_len > 2000 OR match(uri, "(%[0-9A-Fa-f]{2}){100,}")
| stats count as request_count, values(uri) as sample_uris by src_ip, dest_ip, _time span=5m
| where request_count >= 3Identifies bursts of oversized or hex-encoded CGI requests to DD-WRT management endpoints indicative of buffer overflow exploitation attempts against CVE-2021-27137.
Data Sources
Required Sourcetypes
False Positives & Tuning
- Automated firmware/config backup jobs generating large URIs
- Authorized penetration testing or vulnerability scanning traffic
- Load balancer or reverse proxy encoding artifacts
Other platforms for CVE-2021-27137
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 3 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Oversized CGI Parameter Request
Expected signal: Firewall/proxy log entry showing a GET request to /apply.cgi with a URI length exceeding 2000 characters from the test source IP.
- Test 2Hex-Encoded Payload Simulation
Expected signal: Web/proxy log capturing a request URI containing repeated %41-style percent-encoded sequences exceeding 100 occurrences.
- Test 3Repeated Burst Requests to Management Interface
Expected signal: Four distinct oversized HTTP requests to /cgi-bin/config.exe logged from the same source IP within a 5-minute window.
References (4)
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