CVE-2021-1624

CVE-2021-1624 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6. 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-399.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in the Rate Limiting Network Address Translation (NAT) feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause high CPU utilization in the Cisco QuantumFlow Processor of an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. This vulnerability is due to mishandling of the rate limiting feature within the QuantumFlow Processor. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending large amounts of traffic that would be subject to NAT and rate limiting through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the QuantumFlow Processor utilization to reach 100 percent on the affected device, resulting in a DoS condition.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-1624?
A vulnerability in the Rate Limiting Network Address Translation (NAT) feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause high CPU utilization in the Cisco QuantumFlow Processor of an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. This vulnerability is due to mishandling of the rate limiting feature within the QuantumFlow Processor. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending large amounts of traffic that would be subject to NAT and rate limiting through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the QuantumFlow Processor utilization to reach 100 percent on the affected device, resulting in a DoS condition.
How severe is CVE-2021-1624?
CVE-2021-1624 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2021-1624 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (67th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2021-1624?
CVE-2021-1624 affects Cisco Ios Xe. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2021-1624?
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-2021-1624 published?
CVE-2021-1624 was published on 2021-09-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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