CVE-2021-1487: A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Evolved Programmable Network (EPN) Manager could allow an auth...

Description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Evolved Programmable Network (EPN) Manager could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on an affected system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input to the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to the interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system (OS) with the permissions of a special non-root user. In this way, an attacker could take control of the affected system, which would allow them to obtain and alter sensitive data. The attacker could also affect the devices that are managed by the affected system by pushing arbitrary configuration files, retrieving device credentials and confidential information, and ultimately undermining the stability of the devices, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

8.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

2.11%

79.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-78

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cisco	Evolved Programmable Network Manager	< 5.1
Cisco	Prime Infrastructure	< 3.9

References

Timeline

Published: May 22, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-1487?

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Evolved Programmable Network (EPN) Manager could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on an affected system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input to the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to the interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system (OS) with the permissions of a special non-root user. In this way, an attacker could take control of the affected system, which would allow them to obtain and alter sensitive data. The attacker could also affect the devices that are managed by the affected system by pushing arbitrary configuration files, retrieving device credentials and confidential information, and ultimately undermining the stability of the devices, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition.

How severe is CVE-2021-1487?

CVE-2021-1487 has a CVSS score of 8.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 2.11% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-1487?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.