# CVE-2021-1280: Cisco Advanced Malware Protection for Endpoints and Immunet for Windows DLL Hijacking Vulnerability

> Local authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges via DLL hijacking in Cisco AMP for Endpoints and Immunet.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Jan 2021
- **Updated:** 12 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-674c-q4r5-6548

## What is CVE-2021-1280?

CVE-2021-1280 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco AMP for Endpoints, published on 20 Jan 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the loading mechanism of specific DLLs of Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Endpoints for Windows and Immunet for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need valid credentials on the Windows system. This vulnerability is due to incorrect handling of directory search paths at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing a malicious DLL file on the targeted system. This file will execute when the vulnerable application launches. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the targeted system with SYSTEM privileges.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-1280?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Cisco Advanced Malware Protection for Endpoints, Cisco Immunet.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-1280?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-1280 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-1280 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1280 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco AMP for Endpoints

- [CVE-2021-1386](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1386/): Path traversal in Cisco AMP for Endpoints (high 7.0)
- [CVE-2019-1932](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1932/): Cisco Advanced Malware Protection for Endpoints Windows Command Injection Vulnerability (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2017-12312](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12312/): Path traversal in Cisco Immunet Antimalware Installer (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2020-3314](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3314/): Cisco AMP for Endpoints Mac Connector Software File Scan Denial of Service Vulnerability (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2018-0397](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0397/): Denial of service in Cisco AMP for Endpoints Mac Connector unknown (medium 5.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-1280 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-1280 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco AMP for Endpoints, published on 20 Jan 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1280 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco AMP for Endpoints. 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-2021-1280/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1280/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-1280
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-1280
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1280

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1280/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.