# CVE-2021-1257: Cisco DNA Center Cross-Site Request Forgery Vulnerability

> An attacker can trick authenticated users into executing malicious actions on Cisco DNA Center, allowing configuration changes and command execution.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Jan 2021
- **Updated:** 12 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p8f4-vrqv-6cp2

## What is CVE-2021-1257?

CVE-2021-1257 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center (DNA Center), published on 20 Jan 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco DNA Center Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attack to manipulate an authenticated user into executing malicious actions without their awareness or consent. The vulnerability is due to insufficient CSRF protections for the web-based management interface of an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a web-based management user to follow a specially crafted link. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions on the device with the privileges of the authenticated user. These actions include modifying the device configuration, disconnecting the user's session, and executing Command Runner commands.

Weakness: CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-1257?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Cisco Catalyst Center, Mcafee Agent.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-1257?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-1257 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-1257 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1257 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center (DNA Center)

- [CVE-2021-1264](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1264/): Cisco DNA Center Command Runner Command Injection Vulnerability (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2023-20055](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20055/): Cisco DNA Center Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (high 8.0)
- [CVE-2021-1265](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1265/): Cisco DNA Center Information Disclosure Vulnerability (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2026-20191](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20191/): Cisco Catalyst Center Arbitrary File Read Vulnerability (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2024-20350](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20350/): Cisco Catalyst Center Static SSH Host Key Vulnerability (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-1257 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-1257 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center (DNA Center), published on 20 Jan 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1257 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center (DNA Center). No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1257/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1257/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-1257
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-1257
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1257

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1257/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.