CVE-2021-1577

Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Arbitrary File Read and Write Vulnerability

CRITICAL

9.1

CVSS Score

Published: August 25, 2021 at 07:10 PM UTC

Updated: June 17, 2026 at 03:32 AM UTC

2 products affected across 1 vendorApplication Policy Infrastructure ControllerCloud Application Policy Infrastructure Controller

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Severity

CRITICAL9.1

Exploit prediction

EPSS 1%

SSVC

No known exploit

Description

A vulnerability in an API endpoint of Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) and Cisco Cloud Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (Cloud APIC) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to read or write arbitrary files on an affected system. This vulnerability is due to improper access control. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by using a specific API endpoint to upload a file to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read or write arbitrary files on an affected device.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Application Policy Infrastructure Controller · Cisco

95%

v < 3.2(10e)4.0 ≤ v < 4.2(6h)5.0 ≤ v < 5.1(3e)

Affected range stops below 3.2(10e), so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 4.2(6h), so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 5.1(3e), so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Cloud Application Policy Infrastructure Controller · Cisco

95%

v < 3.2(10e)4.0 ≤ v < 4.2(6h)5.0 ≤ v < 5.1(3e)

Affected range stops below 3.2(10e), so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 4.2(6h), so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 5.1(3e), so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

Patch and advisory references

https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-capic-frw-Nt3RYxR2

References (1)

Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_CISCO

Source: [email protected]

https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-capic-frw-Nt3RYxR2

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitAutomatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

9.1CRITICALcisco

Attack Vector: NETWORK
Complexity: LOW
Privileges: NONE
User Interaction: NONE
Scope: UNCHANGED
Confidentiality: HIGH
Integrity: HIGH
Availability: NONE

Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED

CWE

CWE-284NVD-CWE-Other

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