How severe is CVE-2021-1448?

CVE-2021-1448 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2021-1448 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (23rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2021-1448?

CVE-2021-1448 affects Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2021-1448?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2021-1448 published?

CVE-2021-1448 was published on 2021-04-29 and last updated on 2026-08-11.

CVE-2021-1448

CVE-2021-1448 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-78.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (23rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-78
Affected product: Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense
Published: 2021-04-29
Last modified: 2026-08-11

Description

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on the underlying operating system of an affected device that is running in multi-instance mode. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied command arguments. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting crafted input to the affected command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands on the underlying operating system with root privileges.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-1448?: A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on the underlying operating system of an affected device that is running in multi-instance mode. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied command arguments. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting crafted input to the affected command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands on the underlying operating system with root privileges.
How severe is CVE-2021-1448?: CVE-2021-1448 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-1448 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (23rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-1448?: CVE-2021-1448 affects Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-1448?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2021-1448 published?: CVE-2021-1448 was published on 2021-04-29 and last updated on 2026-08-11.

References

https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ftd-cmdinj-vWY5wqZT

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_threat_defense:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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