CWE
489
Advisory Published
Updated

CVE-2021-1398: Cisco IOS XE Software Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

First published: Wed Mar 24 2021(Updated: )

A vulnerability in the boot logic of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker with level 15 privileges or an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to execute arbitrary code on the underlying Linux operating system of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to incorrect validations of specific function arguments that are passed to the boot script. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by tampering with a specific file, which an affected device would process during the initial boot process. On systems that are protected by the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) secure boot feature, a successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute unsigned code at boot time and bypass the image verification check in the secure boot process of the affected device.

Credit: ykramarz@cisco.com

Affected SoftwareAffected VersionHow to fix
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.0bs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.0xas
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.0xbs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.1as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.2ts
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.4as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.5s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.6s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.7s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.7.8s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.8.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.8.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.8.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.9.0as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.9.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.9.0xas
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.9.1as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.9.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.9.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.1xbs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.1xcs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.2as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.2ts
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.5s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.6s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.7s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.8as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.8s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.9s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.10.10s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.11.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.11.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.11.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.11.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.11.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.12.0as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.12.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.12.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.12.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.12.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.12.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.0as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.2as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.5as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.5s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.6as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.6bs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.6s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.7as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.7s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.8s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.9s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.13.10s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.14.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.14.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.14.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.14.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.14.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.15.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.15.1cs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.15.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.15.1xbs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.15.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.15.2xbs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.15.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.15.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.0as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.0bs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.0cs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.1as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.2as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.2bs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.3as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.4as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.4bs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.4cs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.4ds
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.4es
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.4gs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.5as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.5bs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.5s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.6bs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.6s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.7as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.7bs
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.7s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.8s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.9s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.10as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.16.10s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.17.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.17.1as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.17.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.17.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.17.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.17.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.0as
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.0s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.0sp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.1asp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.1bsp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.1csp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.1gsp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.1hsp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.1isp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.1sp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.2asp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.2sp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.3asp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.3bsp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.3sp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.4sp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.5sp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.6sp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.7sp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.8asp
Cisco IOS XE Software=3.18.8sp
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.1.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.1.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.1.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.2.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.2.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.4
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.5
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.5b
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.6
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.7
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.8
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.9
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.3.10
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.4.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.4.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.4.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.5.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.5.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.5.1b
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.5.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.5.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.4
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.4a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.4s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.5
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.5a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.5b
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.6
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.7
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.7a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.6.8
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.7.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.7.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.7.1b
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.7.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.7.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.7.4
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.8.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.8.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.8.1b
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.8.1c
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.8.1d
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.8.1e
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.8.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.8.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.8.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.1b
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.1c
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.1d
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.2a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.3a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.3h
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.4
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.4c
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.5
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.9.5f
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.1b
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.1c
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.1d
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.1e
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.1f
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.1g
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.10.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.11.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.11.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.11.1b
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.11.1c
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.11.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.11.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1c
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1t
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1w
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1x
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1y
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1z
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.1za
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.2a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.2s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.2t
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.3
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.3a
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.3s
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.4
Cisco IOS XE Software=16.12.4a
Cisco IOS XE Software=17.1.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=17.1.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=17.1.1s
Cisco IOS XE Software=17.1.1t
Cisco IOS XE Software=17.1.2
Cisco IOS XE Software=17.2.1
Cisco IOS XE Software=17.2.1a
Cisco IOS XE Software=17.2.1r
Cisco IOS XE Software=17.2.1v

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the severity of CVE-2021-1398?

    CVE-2021-1398 is considered a high-severity vulnerability due to its potential to allow remote code execution.

  • How do I fix CVE-2021-1398?

    To mitigate CVE-2021-1398, users should upgrade to the fixed versions of Cisco IOS XE Software as specified in the advisory.

  • Who is affected by CVE-2021-1398?

    CVE-2021-1398 affects Cisco IOS XE Software versions 3.7.0bs, 3.7.0s, 3.7.0xas, and several others up to 17.2.1v.

  • What impact does CVE-2021-1398 have?

    CVE-2021-1398 can result in an attacker executing arbitrary code on the underlying Linux operating system of affected Cisco devices.

  • Is physical access required to exploit CVE-2021-1398?

    Yes, exploitation of CVE-2021-1398 requires either local authenticated access with level 15 privileges or physical access to the device.

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