Data Center Network ManagerApplication · Cisco
CVE-2021-1248
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedMultiple vulnerabilities in certain REST API endpoints of Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary SQL commands on an affected device. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceSQL injection vulnerabilities in Cisco DCNM REST API endpoints allow authenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the underlying database. The attacker needs valid credentials to access the affected API endpoints.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Data Center Network ManagerApplication
< 11.5\(1\)CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify DCNM installation and versionAccess the Cisco DCNM web interface or check the installation directory for the version number. The version is typically displayed in the login page footer or in the About section of the application.Affected if The installed version is below 11.5(1)
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Confirm REST API is enabledVerify that the DCNM REST API endpoints are accessible on the network. This is typically available on port 443 or the configured DCNM management port.Affected if The REST API is exposed and reachable from the network
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Review API access logs for suspicious patternsExamine DCNM server logs for incoming REST API requests. Look for SQL-like syntax in request parameters or unusual query patterns.Affected if Logs contain API requests with SQL-like syntax or unexpected database query patterns
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Check for unauthorized database accessReview database logs or DCNM audit logs for signs of unexpected or unauthorized SQL command execution.Affected if Database execution logs show commands from unexpected sources or at unexpected times
You are affected if your Cisco DCNM version is below 11.5(1) and the REST API is accessible, especially if you observe SQL-like patterns in API request logs or unexpected database activity.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data11.5
Apply Cisco's patches for DCNM when available. Until then, restrict network access to DCNM management interfaces to only trusted administrative IPs, and monitor for suspicious SQL-like patterns in API request logs.
Fix this in Data Center Network Manager
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation12.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $9,088.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-1248 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-1248 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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