# CVE-2021-1581: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Command Injection and File Upload Vulnerabilities

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands or upload files on Cisco APIC systems via web UI or API endpoints.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 7 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r62p-gprp-gvww

## What is CVE-2021-1581?

CVE-2021-1581 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), published on 25 Aug 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple vulnerabilities in the web UI and API endpoints of Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) or Cisco Cloud APIC could allow a remote attacker to perform a command injection or file upload attack on an affected system. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-1581?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller, Cisco Cloud Application Policy Infrastructure Controller.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-1581?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-1581 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-1581 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1581 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)

- [CVE-2021-1393](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1393/): Cisco Application Services Engine Unauthorized Access Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-1396](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1396/): Cisco Application Services Engine Unauthorized Access Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-1577](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1577/): Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Arbitrary File Read and Write Vulnerability (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2023-20011](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20011/): Cross-site request forgery in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-1578](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1578/): Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-1581 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-1581 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), published on 25 Aug 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1581 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC). 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-2021-1581/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1581/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-1581
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-1581
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1581

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1581/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.