Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Cisco SD-WAN Software has a medium-severity flaw that could let a logged-in local user view sensitive file content through the CLI. This is not a remote internet attack based on the provided sources, but it matters where many administrators or operators have device shell access.
Executive priority
Treat this as a controlled-access confidentiality risk. It is not described as remotely exploitable, but sensitive network configuration or secrets could be exposed if local CLI accounts are misused.
Technical view
CVE-2021-1546 is an information disclosure issue in the Cisco SD-WAN Software CLI. Improper file access protections can allow an authenticated local attacker to target arbitrary local files and retrieve portions of their contents. CVSS 3.1 is 5.5 with high confidentiality impact only.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Cisco SD-WAN Solution environments where users have authenticated local CLI access. The source bundle does not identify specific affected versions or fixed releases.
Exploitation context
The sources describe a local, low-privilege, authenticated attack path with low complexity and no user interaction. CISA KEV status is false in the bundle, and no cited source states active exploitation.
Researcher notes
The bundle lacks affected version detail and does not name fixed releases. Analysis should stay anchored to Cisco’s advisory and CVSS vector: AV:L, PR:L, UI:N, C:H, I:N, A:N.
Mitigation direction
- Review the Cisco advisory for affected releases and fixed software guidance.
- Restrict CLI access to trusted administrators only.
- Audit local user accounts and remove unnecessary privileges.
- Monitor administrative access for unusual file-read activity.
- Prioritize upgrade planning if Cisco identifies your release as affected.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Cisco SD-WAN deployments and software versions.
- Confirm which users have authenticated local CLI access.
- Check Cisco advisory applicability against installed releases.
- Review logs for unexpected administrative CLI activity.
- Verify remediation status after applying vendor-recommended updates.
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-209: Information exposure and cloud metadata lookup
Information exposure and SSRF weaknesses can make discovery, cloud metadata, and credential material review relevant. 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 lookupFile access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-1546 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
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N1.83.6Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 20210922 Cisco SD-WAN Software 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.
Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information
Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.