# CVE-2021-1451: Cisco IOS XE Software Easy Virtual Switching System Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code with root privileges on Cisco Catalyst switches by sending crafted Easy VSS packets, requiring the feature to be enabled.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Mar 2021
- **Updated:** 8 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h8m7-5ghv-9r78

## What is CVE-2021-1451?

CVE-2021-1451 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe, published on 24 Mar 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the Easy Virtual Switching System (VSS) feature of Cisco IOS XE Software for Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Switches and Cisco Catalyst 4500-X Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the underlying Linux operating system of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to incorrect boundary checks of certain values in Easy VSS protocol packets that are destined for an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted Easy VSS protocol packets to UDP port 5500 while the affected device is in a specific state. When the crafted packet is processed, a buffer overflow condition may occur. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to trigger a denial of service (DoS) condition or execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux operating system of the affected device.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-1451?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Ios Xe.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-1451?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-1451 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-1451 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1451 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Ios Xe

- [CVE-2023-20198](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20198/): Cisco IOS XE Web UI Privilege Escalation (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-0151](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0151/): Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software Quality of Service Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-20273](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20273/): Cisco IOS XE Web UI Command Injection (high 7.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-20188](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20188/): Hardcoded credentials in Cisco IOS XE Software (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2021-34770](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-34770/): Cisco IOS XE Software for Catalyst 9000 Family Wireless Controllers CAPWAP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-1451 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-1451 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe, published on 24 Mar 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1451 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Ios Xe. 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-2021-1451/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1451/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-1451
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-1451
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1451

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1451/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.