CVE-2021-1452 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A vulnerability in the ROM Monitor (ROMMON) of Cisco IOS XE Software for Cisco Catalyst IE3200, IE3300, and IE3400 Rugged Series Switches, Cisco Catalyst IE3400 Heavy Duty Series Switches, and Cisco Embedded Services 3300 Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, physical attacker to execute unsigned code at system boot time due to incorrect validations of specific function arguments.

Understanding CVE-2021-1452

This vulnerability in the ROM Monitor (ROMMON) of Cisco IOS XE Software could potentially allow an attacker to execute unsigned code at system boot time on affected devices.

What is CVE-2021-1452?

The vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE ROM Monitor Software for Cisco Industrial Switches allows an attacker physical access to execute unsigned code at system boot time by exploiting incorrect validations of specific function arguments.

The Impact of CVE-2021-1452

This vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 6.8, with high impact on availability, confidentiality, and integrity. An attacker could execute unsigned code and bypass image verification during the secure boot process with physical access to the device or privileged shell access.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-1452

This section explores the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from incorrect validations of function arguments passed to a boot script, allowing an attacker to execute unsigned code with the right ROMMON variable settings.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects Cisco IOS XE ROMMON Software used in specific Cisco switches including Catalyst IE3200, IE3300, IE3400 Rugged Series, Catalyst IE3400 Heavy Duty Series, and Embedded Services 3300 Series.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting this vulnerability requires setting malicious values for a specific ROMMON variable to execute unsigned code and bypass secure boot checks.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2021-1452, immediate steps, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates are crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations should restrict physical access to devices and secure privileged shell access to prevent unauthorized exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing strict access control measures, regular security assessments, and security awareness training can enhance overall security posture.

Patching and Updates

Applying vendor-recommended patches and updates promptly to mitigate the vulnerability is essential.