# CVE-2021-1585: Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> An attacker can execute arbitrary code on a user's system by intercepting ASDM Launcher traffic and injecting malicious code due to missing signature verification.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Jul 2021
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3fc6-gf75-vvc3

## What is CVE-2021-1585?

CVE-2021-1585 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, published on 8 Jul 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) Launcher could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on a user's operating system. This vulnerability is due to a lack of proper signature verification for specific code exchanged between the ASDM and the Launcher. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by leveraging a man-in-the-middle position on the network to intercept the traffic between the Launcher and the ASDM and then inject arbitrary code. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the user's operating system with the level of privileges assigned to the ASDM Launcher. A successful exploit may require the attacker to perform a social engineering attack to persuade the user to initiate communication from the Launcher to the ASDM.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-1585?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-1585?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-1585 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-1585 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1585 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Proof of Concept for CVE-2021-1585: Cisco ASA Device Manager RCE (github_poc): https://github.com/jbaines-r7/staystaystay

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software

- [CVE-2022-20829](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-20829/): Code injection in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2022-20651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-20651/): Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager Information Disclosure Vulnerability (medium 5.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-1585 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-1585 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, published on 8 Jul 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-1585 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) 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-2021-1585/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1585/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-1585
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-1585
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-1585

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1585/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.