# What is CVE-2021-1589? > CVE-2021-1589 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.5) in SD-WAN 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 1.0%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix. Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2021-1589 ## 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:** 26 out of 100 (Low); action: Monitor. Kept up to date as the evidence changes. - **Severity:** Medium (CVSS 6.5 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:** 1.0% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast) - **Published:** 23 September 2021 - **Record last updated:** 7 November 2023 - **Main product:** SD-WAN from Cisco - **Affected products:** 1 ## What is CVE-2021-1589? In plain terms It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet 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 disaster recovery feature of Cisco SD-WAN vManage Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to gain unauthorized access to user credentials. This vulnerability exists because access to API endpoints is not properly restricted. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a request to an API endpoint. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain unauthorized access to administrative credentials that could be used in further attacks. ### What kind of flaw is it? - CWE-522: Insufficiently Protected Credentials - CWE-256: Plaintext Storage of a Password ### How an attack on it works - Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet - 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:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N` ## Is CVE-2021-1589 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 1.0%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 1.0%, 1.0%, 1.0%, 1.0%, 1.0%, 1.0%, 1.0%. ### Timeline - 23 September 2021: Published - 7 November 2023: Record last updated ### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it CVE-2021-1589 scores **26 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-2021-1589? The published record lists 1 product. Versions are as published: "20.3 to before 20.3.4" means from 20.3 up to, but not including, 20.3.4. - [SD-WAN](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/sd-wan) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Application): 20.3 to before 20.3.4, 20.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1 ## How do I fix CVE-2021-1589? 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-credentials-ydYfskzZ) (Patch, Vendor advisory) ## Questions ### What is CVE-2021-1589? CVE-2021-1589 is a medium-severity flaw in SD-WAN from Cisco, published on 23 September 2021. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet with an ordinary user account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data. ### How serious is CVE-2021-1589? It scores 6.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2021-1589 is 26 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-2021-1589 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 1.0%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. ### Which versions does CVE-2021-1589 affect? For SD-WAN from Cisco: 20.3 to before 20.3.4, 20.4 to before 20.4.2, 20.5 to before 20.5.2, 20.6 to before 20.6.1. ### How do I fix CVE-2021-1589? 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-2021-1589 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