CVE-2021-1579Network attack vector

Administrator write escalation via insufficient API RBAC

Published Aug 25, 2021 · Updated Nov 7, 2024

Privilege escalation in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller allows remote authenticated users to gain Administrator write privileges. An API endpoint applies insufficient RBAC when an Administrator read-only account sends a request through an installed, enabled app holding admin write permissions. Exploitation requires both Administrator read-only credentials and such an app, and it grants configuration-changing administrative access without reported data disclosure.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability2.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller allows remote authenticated users to gain Administrator write privileges. An API endpoint applies insufficient RBAC when an Administrator read-only account sends a request through an installed, enabled app holding admin write permissions. Exploitation requires both Administrator read-only credentials and such an app, and it grants configuration-changing administrative access without reported data disclosure.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-1579
Published
Aug 25, 2021
Updated
Nov 7, 2024
Vendor
ClamAV
Product
Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)
Classifications
CWE-269, CWE-250, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 25, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 7, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=n/a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

ClamAV · Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)version=n/a

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.0NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.1Cisco Systems, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H/E:X/RL:X/RC:X

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
CWE-250Execution with Unnecessary Privileges
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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