Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Cisco DCNM had SQL injection flaws in certain REST API endpoints. An authenticated remote user could potentially run database commands on the affected system, risking sensitive data exposure, unauthorized changes, and service disruption. The bundle does not provide affected version ranges.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority infrastructure management risk. DCNM can control sensitive network operations, and authenticated abuse could affect data and availability. Prioritize inventory, version validation, and Cisco-guided remediation.
Technical view
CVE-2021-1247 is a CWE-89 SQL injection issue in Cisco Data Center Network Manager REST API endpoints. CVSS 3.1 is 8.8: network exploitable, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to organizations running Cisco Data Center Network Manager with the vulnerable REST API endpoints reachable by authenticated users. The provided sources do not identify specific affected versions, so teams must verify deployments against Cisco’s advisory.
Exploitation context
The sources describe authenticated remote exploitation but do not cite active exploitation. The CVE is not marked KEV in the provided bundle, so there is no source-backed evidence here of known exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
The bundle confirms SQL injection in certain REST API endpoints but does not include endpoint names, affected releases, patches, or workaround details. Avoid assuming exploitability beyond authenticated remote SQL execution stated by the CVE and Cisco advisory reference.
Mitigation direction
- Review Cisco’s advisory for affected releases and vendor remediation.
- Apply Cisco-provided fixed software or workaround if listed in the advisory.
- Inventory Cisco DCNM instances and owners across the environment.
- Review and reduce unnecessary authenticated access to DCNM.
- Monitor DCNM logs for unusual authenticated API activity.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether Cisco DCNM is deployed in the environment.
- Map installed DCNM versions against Cisco’s advisory.
- Identify users and integrations with DCNM REST API access.
- Check whether vendor-recommended remediation has been applied.
- Review monitoring for unexpected SQL or API error patterns.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-89: Database access and collection lookup
Injection into data stores can inform collection, data access, and exfiltration detection reviews. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupDatabase behavior lookup
The CVE wording references database injection or access, so collection and exfiltration review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-1247 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 20210120 Cisco Data Center Network Manager SQL Injection VulnerabilitiesCVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_CISCO
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.