Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw lets a logged-in remote user abuse the Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance web management interface to run operating-system commands as root. Because successful exploitation can fully compromise the appliance, treat exposed deployments as high priority, especially where management access is broadly available.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for internet-reachable or broadly accessible management interfaces. Root-level command execution can turn a management appliance into a full platform compromise, but exploitation requires authenticated access based on the provided evidence.
Technical view
CVE-2021-34748 is a CWE-77 command injection issue caused by insufficient input validation in the appliance web-based management interface. The CVSS 3.1 score is 8.8, with network attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to organizations running Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance with reachable web-based management access. The source bundle does not specify affected version ranges, so teams must verify scope against Cisco guidance.
Exploitation context
The provided sources support authenticated remote exploitation through crafted input in the web management interface. CISA KEV status is false in the bundle, and no cited source states active exploitation.
Researcher notes
Affected version detail is not included in the source bundle. Researchers should rely on Cisco's advisory and CVE record for authoritative scope. Do not assume unauthenticated exploitation or active exploitation from the available evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Review Cisco's advisory for authoritative affected and fixed-release guidance.
- Upgrade or remediate according to Cisco's published instructions for this appliance.
- Restrict web management access to trusted administrative networks where feasible.
- Review administrative account access if unauthorized management use is suspected.
Validation and detection
- Inventory all Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance deployments.
- Confirm whether the web management interface is remotely reachable.
- Compare installed versions with Cisco's advisory guidance.
- Review appliance and administrator logs for unexpected authenticated management activity.
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-77: 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 lookupExecution 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 lookupCVE-2021-34748 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
- 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
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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 20211006 Cisco Intersight Virtual Appliance Command Injection 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.
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.