Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-1457 is a cross-site scripting issue in Cisco Firepower Management Center's web interface. An attacker could trick an FMC interface user into opening a crafted link, causing script to run in that user's browser session and potentially expose browser-held information.
Executive priority
Moderate priority. This is not presented as actively exploited, but FMC is a sensitive security-management platform. Schedule remediation promptly through normal security maintenance, with faster handling for broadly reachable management interfaces.
Technical view
The source describes multiple CWE-79 flaws caused by insufficient validation of user-supplied input in the FMC web-based management interface. Exploitation requires user interaction with a crafted link. Successful exploitation may execute arbitrary script in the interface context or access sensitive browser-based information. CVSS v3.1 score is 4.8, medium.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to organizations running Cisco Firepower Management Center Software. The source bundle does not provide affected version ranges. Risk is higher where FMC administrators can access the management interface from broad networks or where phishing-resistant controls are weak.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not state active exploitation, and KEV is false. Exploitation is not described as automatic; it depends on persuading a user of the FMC interface to click a crafted link. The impact is confidentiality and integrity of the browser/interface context, not availability.
Researcher notes
The bundle lacks affected version and fixed-release details, so remediation should be tied to Cisco's advisory. The CVSS vector includes user interaction, high privileges, changed scope, low confidentiality and integrity impact, and no availability impact.
Mitigation direction
- Identify all Cisco Firepower Management Center deployments and owners.
- Review Cisco's advisory for affected releases and official fixed versions.
- Apply Cisco-recommended updates or mitigations after change testing.
- Restrict FMC management interface access to trusted administrative networks.
- Use phishing-resistant admin practices and warn FMC users about unsolicited links.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether each FMC instance matches Cisco's affected release guidance.
- Verify FMC management interfaces are not exposed beyond intended admin networks.
- Review browser and proxy logs for suspicious FMC-link referrals where available.
- Confirm updated systems report expected FMC software versions after remediation.
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-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. 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-2021-1457 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 4.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/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:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N1.72.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
4.8MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 20210428 Cisco Firepower Management Center Software Cross-Site Scripting 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 Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.