CVE-2021-1266 in Managed Services Accelerator
Summary
by MITRE • 02/05/2021
A vulnerability in the REST API of Cisco Managed Services Accelerator (MSX) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to the way that the affected software logs certain API requests. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a flood of crafted API requests to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a DoS condition on the affected device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-1266 affects the Cisco Managed Services Accelerator MSX platform, specifically targeting its REST API implementation. This issue represents a significant security concern as it allows authenticated remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks against affected systems. The MSX platform serves as a critical infrastructure component for managing and accelerating network services, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations relying on its functionality. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of API request logging mechanisms within the software's architecture.
The technical flaw manifests in how the affected software processes and logs specific API requests through its REST interface. When an authenticated attacker sends a flood of crafted API requests to the vulnerable system, the logging mechanism becomes overwhelmed and unable to process the excessive volume of requests properly. This creates a cascading effect where the system's resources become consumed rapidly, leading to a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate users from accessing the platform's services. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic resource exhaustion attack pattern where the attacker leverages legitimate system functionality against itself.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability could severely disrupt business continuity for organizations using Cisco MSX platforms for their network management and service acceleration needs. The DoS condition would prevent authorized users from accessing critical management interfaces, potentially leading to extended service outages and operational downtime. The authenticated nature of the exploit means that attackers would need valid credentials, but once obtained, they could cause significant disruption. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that depend on continuous availability of their network management systems and could result in substantial financial and operational losses.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-1266 should focus on immediate patch application from Cisco, which addresses the root cause by correcting the API request logging behavior. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual API request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Access controls should be strengthened to ensure only necessary personnel have authentication credentials, reducing the attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400 which covers "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for "Endpoint Denial of Service" within the adversary's tactics and techniques framework. Network segmentation and rate limiting mechanisms can provide additional defensive layers while organizations await official patches to be deployed across their infrastructure.