dbcve.org
Catalyst Sd Wan ManagerApplication · Cisco

CVE-2021-1483

MEDIUM · 6.4 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-11-15
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
70/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable Zero-click

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 · unedited
A vulnerability in the web UI of Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to gain read and write access to information that is stored on an affected system. This vulnerability is due to improper handling of XML External Entity (XXE) entries when the affected software parses certain XML files. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to import a crafted XML file with malicious entries. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read and write files within the affected application.Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

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 · high confidence

This is an XML External Entity (XXE) injection vulnerability in the web UI of Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of XXE entries during XML file parsing. An authenticated, remote attacker exploits this by tricking a user into importing a crafted XML file containing malicious entity definitions, enabling the attacker to read and write files on the affected system.

MitigationApply the Cisco software updates that address this vulnerability. Since no workarounds are available, patching is the only remediation path. User awareness about not importing untrusted XML files provides limited supplementary protection.

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
Catalyst Sd Wan ManagerApplication
Affected:= 17.2.4= 17.2.5= 17.2.6= 17.2.7= 17.2.8= 17.2.9= 17.2.10= 18.2.0= 18.3.0= 18.3.1= 18.3.1.1= 18.3.3

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
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Cisco vManage installation
    Locate the Cisco SD-WAN vManage server on your network and confirm it is running. Check for processes named vmanage or services listening on typical vManage ports (default HTTPS ports 8443 or 443).
    Affected if The system is running Cisco SD-WAN vManage software and the web UI is accessible.
  2. Check installed vManage version
    Log into the vManage web UI and navigate to Administration > Settings > Software Repository, or use the CLI command 'show version' on the vManage device to retrieve the exact software version.
    Affected if The installed version matches one of the affected versions: 17.2.4 through 17.2.10, 18.2.0, 18.3.0, 18.3.1, 18.3.1.1, or 18.3.3.
  3. Verify web UI is enabled
    Confirm that the vManage web interface is enabled and accessible. Check that HTTP/HTTPS services are running and the login page is reachable.
    Affected if The web UI is enabled and accessible to users or attackers on the network.
  4. Confirm XML import feature is available
    In the vManage web UI, verify that the feature allowing XML file import exists. This is typically found under Configuration > Templates or Configuration > Devices, where users can import configuration files.
    Affected if The XML file import functionality is present and accessible to authenticated users.

You are affected if your Cisco vManage version matches the listed affected versions AND the web UI with XML import capability is enabled and accessible.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the Cisco software updates that address this vulnerability. Since no workarounds are available, patching is the only remediation path. User awareness about not importing untrusted XML files provides limited supplementary protection.

Fix this in Catalyst Sd Wan Manager Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
13.0 hours of engineering $2,280
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-1483 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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