dbcve.org
Broadworks Messaging ServerApplication · Cisco

CVE-2021-1530

HIGH · 7.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2021-05-06
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
77/100
Remediation priority · High
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-based management interface of Cisco BroadWorks Messaging Server Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to access sensitive information or cause a partial denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected system. This vulnerability is due to improper handling of XML External Entity (XXE) entries when parsing certain XML files. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a crafted XML file that contains references to external entities. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to retrieve files from the local system, resulting in the disclosure of sensitive information, or cause the application to consume available resources, resulting in a partial DoS condition on an affected system. There are 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 XXE (XML External Entity) injection vulnerability in Cisco BroadWorks Messaging Server's web management interface. An authenticated attacker can upload specially crafted XML files containing external entity references to read local files from the server filesystem or cause resource exhaustion leading to partial denial of service.

MitigationApply Cisco-provided workarounds which typically involve disabling external entity processing in XML parsers or implementing strict input validation for uploaded XML files. Monitor for unauthorized authenticated access.

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
Broadworks Messaging ServerApplication
Affected:= 22.0

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
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
Low

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

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 BroadWorks Messaging Server installation
    Locate the BroadWorks Messaging Server installation directory or check running services on the system. Common paths may include /opt/broadworks or C:\Program Files\Cisco\BroadWorks or check service listings.
    Affected if The software is not installed - not affected. If installed, continue to version check.
  2. Verify installed version is 22.0
    Check the installed version of Cisco BroadWorks Messaging Server. Look for version files in the installation directory, check the web interface about page, or use the command line version check utility if available.
    Affected if Installed version equals 22.0 exactly - likely affected. Versions before or after 22.0 may have different vulnerability status.
  3. Confirm web management interface is enabled
    Access the web management interface URL (typically https://server:8443/messagingserver or similar) or check configuration files for web interface enablement.
    Affected if Web management interface is enabled and accessible - attack surface exists. If disabled, the vulnerability may not be exploitable.
  4. Check for XML file upload functionality
    Review the web management interface for features that accept XML file uploads, such as configuration import, backup restore, or message template import features.
    Affected if XML upload functionality exists in the web interface - potential exploitation vector present. If no XML upload features exist, exploitation may not be possible.
  5. Review XML parser configuration
    Examine XML parser settings in the server configuration files or web application configuration for whether external entity processing is enabled or disabled.
    Affected if External entity processing is enabled in XML parsers - vulnerable to XXE exploitation. If disabled or secure parsing is configured, may be mitigated.

Your environment is affected if Cisco BroadWorks Messaging Server version 22.0 is installed with the web management interface enabled and XML upload/parsing functionality exposed to authenticated users.

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 Cisco-provided workarounds which typically involve disabling external entity processing in XML parsers or implementing strict input validation for uploaded XML files. Monitor for unauthorized authenticated access.

Fix this in Broadworks Messaging Server Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
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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-2021-1530 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data