# CVE-2021-40124: Privilege escalation in Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client

> Local authenticated attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM by configuring pre-logon scripts in the Network Access Manager module.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Nov 2021
- **Updated:** 7 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x848-mf45-8cv4

## What is CVE-2021-40124?

CVE-2021-40124 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client, published on 4 Nov 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 Network Access Manager (NAM) module of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to escalate privileges on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to incorrect privilege assignment to scripts executed before user logon. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by configuring a script to be executed before logon. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management), CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-40124?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-40124?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-40124 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-40124 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-40124 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client

- [CVE-2020-3433](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3433/): Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows DLL Hijacking (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-3153](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3153/): Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path (medium 6.5, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2012-3088](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3088/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2012-2493](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2493/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2011-2040](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2040/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-40124 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-40124 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client, published on 4 Nov 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-2021-40124 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client. 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-2021-40124/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40124/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-40124
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-40124
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-40124

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40124/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.