CVE-2021-1138 : Security Advisory and Response

Cisco Smart Software Manager Satellite Web UI Command Injection Vulnerabilities were discovered on January 20, 2021. These vulnerabilities could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system through the web UI.

Understanding CVE-2021-1138

This section delves into the details of the CVE-2021-1138 vulnerability, its impact, technical specifics, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2021-1138?

CVE-2021-1138 pertains to multiple vulnerabilities in the web UI of Cisco Smart Software Manager Satellite, posing a significant security risk by enabling unauthorized remote code execution.

The Impact of CVE-2021-1138

With a CVSSv3.1 base score of 9.8 (Critical), the impact of these vulnerabilities is severe. Attackers can exploit these flaws to execute arbitrary commands, compromising system confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-1138

Here are the specific technical details related to CVE-2021-1138:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerabilities in Cisco Smart Software Manager Satellite web UI allow unauthenticated, remote attackers to execute commands on the underlying OS, potentially leading to a complete system compromise.

Affected Systems and Versions

The issue affects Cisco Smart Software Manager On-Prem, with all versions being vulnerable to these command injection vulnerabilities.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerabilities can be exploited remotely by unauthenticated attackers through the web UI, without requiring any user privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard your systems from CVE-2021-1138, follow these recommendations:

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable external access to the affected systems until a patch is applied.
Monitor Cisco's security advisories for updates on this vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement network segmentation to isolate critical assets.
Enforce the principle of least privilege to restrict unauthorized access to sensitive systems.

Patching and Updates

Apply the latest security patches provided by Cisco to mitigate the CVE-2021-1138 vulnerabilities.