CVE-2021-1594 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2021-1594, a vulnerability in the REST API of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) that could allow remote attackers to perform a command injection attack and elevate privileges to root.

Understanding CVE-2021-1594

This vulnerability impacts Cisco Identity Services Engine Software, potentially allowing unauthorized attackers to gain root privileges through the REST API.

What is CVE-2021-1594?

CVE-2021-1594 is a vulnerability in the REST API of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) due to insufficient input validation for specific API endpoints.

The Impact of CVE-2021-1594

If successfully exploited, this vulnerability could enable an attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on the underlying operating system. An attacker could achieve this by intercepting and modifying internode communications between ISE personas.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-1594

This section covers the specific technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute command injection attacks and escalate privileges to root through the Cisco ISE REST API.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects Cisco Identity Services Engine Software, with all versions being susceptible to exploitation.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by decrypting HTTPS traffic between two separate ISE personas to run arbitrary commands as root.

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn how you can protect your systems from CVE-2021-1594.

Immediate Steps to Take

Ensure network segmentation, regularly monitor and analyze network traffic, and apply the necessary security updates provided by Cisco.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement security best practices by enforcing strict access control policies, conducting regular security audits, and educating users about social engineering tactics.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories from Cisco and promptly apply patches and updates to remediate vulnerabilities.