LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2021-1487: Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager Command Injection Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Evolved Programmable Network (EPN) Manager could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on an affected system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input to the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to the interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system (OS) with the permissions of a special non-root user. In this way, an attacker could take control of the affected system, which would allow them to obtain and alter sensitive data. The attacker could also affect the devices that are managed by the affected system by pushing arbitrary configuration files, retrieving device credentials and confidential information, and ultimately undermining the stability of the devices, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition.

HighCVSS 8.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2021-1487 lets an authenticated remote user run operating-system commands through Cisco Prime Infrastructure or Cisco EPN Manager’s web management interface. The commands run as a special non-root user, but Cisco describes major follow-on risk: sensitive data access, configuration changes, device credential exposure, and disruption to managed devices.

Executive priority

Prioritize this as high where Cisco network management platforms are reachable by many users or exposed beyond a restricted admin network. The business risk is not only server compromise; it includes control-plane impact across managed devices and potential exposure of device credentials.

Technical view

The issue is CWE-78 command injection caused by insufficient validation of user-supplied input in the web-based management interface. Exploitation requires network access and low-privileged authentication, with no user interaction. Cisco and CVE data rate it CVSS 3.1 8.8 high, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in organizations running Cisco Prime Infrastructure or Cisco EPN Manager where authenticated users can reach the web management interface. Product versions are not specified in the provided bundle, so teams must verify affected releases against Cisco’s advisory.

Exploitation context

The provided sources describe remote authenticated exploitation using crafted HTTP requests. The bundle does not state active exploitation, public exploit availability, or CISA KEV listing. Treat this as serious because compromise of a management platform can affect downstream network devices.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports authenticated command injection with high impact, but the provided bundle lacks affected version detail, fixed-release detail, exploit maturity, and detection indicators. Validation should focus on asset/version confirmation, access paths to the web UI, account scope, and suspicious management actions.

Mitigation direction

  • Review Cisco’s advisory for affected and fixed software guidance.
  • Restrict web management interface access to trusted administrative networks.
  • Remove unnecessary accounts and enforce least-privilege access.
  • Monitor for unexpected configuration pushes or credential retrieval activity.
  • Prioritize remediation for internet-exposed or broadly reachable management interfaces.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Cisco EPN Manager deployments.
  • Compare deployed releases with Cisco’s advisory.
  • Confirm only authorized administrators can reach the web interface.
  • Review logs for unusual authenticated management-interface activity.
  • Check managed devices for unexpected configuration changes.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
3

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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 · medium confidence lookup

CWE-78: Command execution behavior lookup

Command injection weaknesses can lead defenders to review execution techniques and command interpreter telemetry. 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 lookup
description · low confidence lookup

Execution behavior lookup

The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2021-1487 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
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

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
2Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
8.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.85.9Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

8.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2021-1487Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
CiscoCisco Prime Infrastructuren/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-78 · source CWE mapping

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.