# CVE-2021-1419: Cisco Access Points SSH Management Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

> A local authenticated user can exploit improper file operation checks in SSH management to gain root privileges on Cisco Access Points.

- **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:** 23 Sep 2021
- **Updated:** 7 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j2cc-65xj-fpxh

## What is CVE-2021-1419?

CVE-2021-1419 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Wireless Lan Controller Software, published on 23 Sep 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 SSH management feature of multiple Cisco Access Points (APs) platforms could allow a local, authenticated user to modify files on the affected device and possibly gain escalated privileges. The vulnerability is due to improper checking on file operations within the SSH management interface. A network administrator user could exploit this vulnerability by accessing an affected device through SSH management to make a configuration change. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain privileges equivalent to the root user.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-1419?

It affects 41 products.


Products: Cisco 1100-8p Firmware, Cisco 1120 Firmware, Cisco 1160 Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1542d Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1542i Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1562d Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1562e Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1562i Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1815i Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1815m Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1815t Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1815w Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1830e Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1830i Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1840i Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1850e Firmware, Cisco Aironet 1850i Firmware, Cisco Aironet 2800e Firmware, Cisco Aironet 2800i Firmware, Cisco Aironet 3800e Firmware and 21 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-1419?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-1419 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-1419 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1419 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-1419 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-1419 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Wireless Lan Controller Software, published on 23 Sep 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-2021-1419 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Wireless Lan Controller Software. 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-2021-1419/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1419/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-1419
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-1419
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1419

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1419/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.