Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Cisco DNA Center could expose full, unmasked running configurations for managed network devices to an authenticated remote user. These configurations may contain sensitive operational details and secrets. The issue requires valid access, but even low-privilege access can be enough according to the CVSS vector and description.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority where DNA Center manages critical network infrastructure. The business risk is exposure of network configurations and embedded secrets, not direct service disruption.
Technical view
The flaw is in Cisco DNA Center configuration archive handling. Archive files are stored in clear text and can be retrieved through API calls, allowing an authenticated remote attacker to obtain full unmasked managed-device running configurations. The issue maps to CWE-312 and has CVSS 3.0 score 7.7.
Likely exposure
Organizations running Cisco DNA Center with managed network devices are the relevant exposure group. The provided bundle does not identify affected or fixed versions, so teams should confirm scope against Cisco’s advisory and their deployed release.
Exploitation context
The source bundle describes exploitation by an authenticated remote attacker making API calls. It does not cite public exploitation, and KEV status is false, so active exploitation is not established from the provided evidence.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports cleartext storage of configuration archive files retrievable through APIs. Privileges are required, but impact crosses managed devices. Version and remediation detail are incomplete in the provided bundle, so avoid over-scoping without Cisco advisory confirmation.
Mitigation direction
- Review Cisco’s advisory for affected releases, fixed releases, and official workarounds.
- Limit Cisco DNA Center access to trusted administrative users and integrations.
- Review low-privilege accounts with API access to DNA Center.
- Rotate secrets found in exposed running configurations if disclosure is suspected.
- Monitor DNA Center API access for unusual configuration retrieval activity.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Cisco DNA Center deployments and managed device scope.
- Confirm deployed versions against Cisco’s advisory.
- Review who can authenticate to DNA Center and use APIs.
- Assess whether configuration archives contain sensitive unmasked values.
- Check logs for unusual API access to configuration archive data.
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-312: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. 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 lookupCVE-2021-1265 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
- 7.7 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
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:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N3.14Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
7.7HighVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 20210120 Cisco DNA Center Information Disclosure VulnerabilityCVE 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.
Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information
Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.