CVE-2021-1446
8.6 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2021-1446 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xe. It was published on March 24, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical Description
A vulnerability in the DNS application layer gateway (ALG) functionality used by Network Address Translation (NAT) in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause an affected device to reload. The vulnerability is due to a logic error that occurs when an affected device inspects certain DNS packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted DNS packets through an affected device that is performing NAT for DNS packets. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to cause the device to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability can be exploited only by traffic that is sent through an affected device via IPv4 packets. The vulnerability cannot be exploited via IPv6 traffic.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update ios_xe to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2021-1446?
CVE-2021-1446 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xe. It was published on March 24, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2021-1446?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2021-1446?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update ios_xe to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2021-1446?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2021-1446 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
Automated penetration testing that runs continuously, not just quarterly.
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Browser-based exploitation validates findings with real proof-of-concept.
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