# What is CVE-2021-1546?

> CVE-2021-1546 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 5.5) in Catalyst SD-WAN Manager from Cisco, published on 23 September 2021. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 0.2%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2021-1546

## At a glance

- **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.
- **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 21 out of 100 (Low); action: Monitor. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** Medium (CVSS 5.5 out of 10)
- **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today
- **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 0.2% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 23 September 2021
- **Record last updated:** 7 November 2023
- **Main product:** Catalyst SD-WAN Manager from Cisco
- **Affected products:** 21

## What is CVE-2021-1546? In plain terms

An attacker has to be already on the device with an ordinary user account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data.

### The official description

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco SD-WAN Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to access sensitive information. This vulnerability is due to improper protections on file access through the CLI. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by running a CLI command that targets an arbitrary file on the local system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to return portions of an arbitrary file, possibly resulting in the disclosure of sensitive information.

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-209: Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: Already on the device
- How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions
- Login needed first: An ordinary user account
- Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker gets: Can read data

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

## Is CVE-2021-1546 being exploited? Not that we know of

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.2%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 0.2%, 0.2%, 0.2%, 0.2%, 0.2%, 0.2%, 0.2%.

### Timeline

- 23 September 2021: Published
- 7 November 2023: Record last updated

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2021-1546 scores **21 out of 100 (Low)**, with the action "Monitor".

Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less:

- Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor
- How severe it is: strong factor
- How widely exposed it is: smaller factor
- Threat activity around it: smaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

## Who is affected by CVE-2021-1546?

The published record lists 21 products. Versions are as published: "18.4 to before 20.4.2" means from 18.4 up to, but not including, 20.4.2.

- [Catalyst SD-WAN Manager](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/catalyst_sd-wan_manager) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Application): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [SD-WAN Vbond Orchestrator](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/sd-wan_vbond_orchestrator) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Application): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [Vedge 100 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_100_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [Vedge 1000 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_1000_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [Vedge 100b Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_100b_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [Vedge 100m Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_100m_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [Vedge 100wm Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_100wm_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [Vedge 2000 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_2000_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [Vedge 5000 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_5000_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [Vedge Cloud Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_cloud_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [Vsmart Controller Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vsmart_controller_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1
- [SD-WAN Vmanage](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/sd-wan_vmanage) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Application): 20.5 to before 20.5.2
- [Vedge 100](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_100) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Vedge 1000](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_1000) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Vedge 100b](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_100b) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Vedge 100m](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_100m) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Vedge 100wm](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_100wm) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Vedge 2000](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_2000) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Vedge 5000](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_5000) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Vedge Cloud](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vedge_cloud) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Vsmart Controller](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/vsmart_controller) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified

## How do I fix CVE-2021-1546?

1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisory first in the list.
3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

### References

- [tools.cisco.com](https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sd-wan-Fhqh8pKX) (Vendor advisory)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2021-1546?

CVE-2021-1546 is a medium-severity flaw in Catalyst SD-WAN Manager from Cisco, published on 23 September 2021. An attacker has to be already on the device with an ordinary user account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data.

### How serious is CVE-2021-1546?

It scores 5.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2021-1546 is 21 out of 100, which is Low. Its action is "Monitor". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.

### Is CVE-2021-1546 being exploited?

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.2%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

### Which versions does CVE-2021-1546 affect?

For Catalyst SD-WAN Manager from Cisco: 18.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1. The record lists 21 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2021-1546?

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

## Does CVE-2021-1546 affect you?

Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you:

- **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.

Start free (no card, nothing to install): https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register
Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact