LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2021-1491: Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software Information Disclosure Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to read arbitrary files on the underlying file system of the device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient file scope limiting. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a specific file reference on the file system and then accessing it through the web-based management interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read arbitrary files from the file system of the underlying operating system.Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

MediumCVSS 6.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This flaw lets a logged-in remote user read files from the underlying operating system through Cisco SD-WAN vManage’s web management interface. The main business risk is exposure of sensitive configuration or system data, not service outage or data modification.

Executive priority

Treat as a scheduled but important remediation item for SD-WAN management infrastructure. Prioritize systems exposed to larger administrator populations or less-trusted networks because successful abuse can disclose sensitive system files.

Technical view

CVE-2021-1491 is an authenticated arbitrary file read in Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software, listed against Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager versions. Cisco attributes it to insufficient file scope limiting and maps it to CWE-59. CVSS is 6.5, with low privileges required and high confidentiality impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely where affected Cisco SD-WAN vManage or Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager versions are deployed and the web management interface is reachable by authenticated users.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. Cisco states exploitation requires an authenticated remote attacker and could allow arbitrary file reads from the device operating system.

Researcher notes

Evidence supports authenticated remote arbitrary file read with confidentiality impact only. The source bundle names Cisco updates and explicitly says there are no workarounds. It does not provide exploit-in-the-wild evidence, fixed-version details, or indicators of compromise.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply Cisco software updates that address CVE-2021-1491.
  • Do not rely on workarounds; Cisco states none address this vulnerability.
  • Confirm deployed versions against Cisco’s advisory and affected-version list.
  • Restrict management interface access to authorized administrative paths where operationally possible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Cisco SD-WAN vManage or Catalyst SD-WAN Manager instances and versions.
  • Check whether any listed affected versions are still deployed.
  • Verify Cisco fixed software has been installed successfully.
  • Review management-interface exposure and authenticated user access scope.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
3

Public sources used

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 · low confidence lookup

CWE-59: 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 lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2021-1491 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
Medium
CVSS
6.5 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:X/RL:X/RC:X

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
6.5CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:X/RL:X/RC:X2.83.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

6.5Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-1491Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:X/RL:X/RC:X

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

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
CiscoCisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager20.1.12, 19.2.1, 18.4.4, 18.4.5, 20.1.1.1, 20.1.1, 19.3.0, 19.2.2, 19.2.099, 18.3.6, 18.3.7, 19.2.0, 18.3.8, 19.0.0, 19.1.0, 18.4.302, 18.4.303, 19.2.097, 19.2.098, 17.2.10, 18.3.6.1, 19.0.1a, 18.2.0, 18.4.3, 18.4.1, 17.2.8, 18.3.3.1, 18.4.0, 18.3.1, 17.2.6, 17.2.9, 18.3.4, 17.2.5, 18.3.1.1, 18.3.5, 18.4.0.1, 18.3.3, 17.2.7, 17.2.4, 18.3.0, 19.2.3, 18.4.501_ES, 20.3.1, 20.1.2, 19.2.929, 19.2.31, 20.3.2, 19.2.32, 20.3.2_925, 20.3.2.1, 20.3.2.1_927, 18.4.6, 20.1.2_937, 20.4.1, 20.3.2_928, 20.3.2_929, 20.4.1.0.1, 20.3.2.1_930, 19.2.4, 20.4.1.1, 20.3.3, 19.2.4.0.1, 20.3.2_937unknown
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-59

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

CWE-59 · source CWE mapping

Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs