CVE-2021-1488

CVE-2021-1488 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.7. 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

Description

A vulnerability in the upgrade process of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject commands that could be executed with root privileges on the underlying operating system (OS). This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a crafted upgrade package file to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to inject commands that could be executed with root privileges on the underlying OS.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-1488?
A vulnerability in the upgrade process of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject commands that could be executed with root privileges on the underlying operating system (OS). This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a crafted upgrade package file to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to inject commands that could be executed with root privileges on the underlying OS.
How severe is CVE-2021-1488?
CVE-2021-1488 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.7, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-1488 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (18th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-1488?
CVE-2021-1488 primarily affects Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-1488?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2021-1488 published?
CVE-2021-1488 was published on 2021-04-29 and last updated on 2026-08-11.

References

Affected products (2)

More vulnerabilities in Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense

All CVEs affecting Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense →

Other CWE-78 (OS Command Injection) vulnerabilities

Browse all CWE-78 (OS Command Injection) vulnerabilities →