# CVE-2021-1530: Cisco BroadWorks Messaging Server XML External Entity Injection Vulnerability

> An authenticated attacker can exploit XXE in Cisco BroadWorks Messaging Server to read local files or cause partial denial of service.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 May 2021
- **Updated:** 8 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fv3h-9947-8cpj

## What is CVE-2021-1530?

CVE-2021-1530 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco BroadWorks, published on 6 May 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco BroadWorks Messaging Server Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to access sensitive information or cause a partial denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected system. This vulnerability is due to improper handling of XML External Entity (XXE) entries when parsing certain XML files. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a crafted XML file that contains references to external entities. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to retrieve files from the local system, resulting in the disclosure of sensitive information, or cause the application to consume available resources, resulting in a partial DoS condition on an affected system. There are workarounds that address this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-1530?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Broadworks Messaging Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-1530?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-1530 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-1530 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1530 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco BroadWorks

- [CVE-2022-20951](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-20951/): Server-side request forgery in Cisco BroadWorks (high 7.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-1530 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-1530 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco BroadWorks, published on 6 May 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1530 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco BroadWorks. 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-2021-1530/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1530/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-1530
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-1530
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1530

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1530/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.