A vulnerability in the Easy Virtual Switching System (VSS) feature of Cisco IOS XE Software for Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Switches and Cisco Catalyst 4500-X Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the underlying Linux operating system of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to incorrect boundary checks of certain values in Easy VSS protocol packets that are destined for an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted Easy VSS protocol packets to UDP port 5500 while the affected device is in a specific state. When the crafted packet is processed, a buffer overflow condition may occur. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to trigger a denial of service (DoS) condition or execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux operating system of the affected device.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.1, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network but requires specific conditions to be met without requiring user interaction and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 2 products from cisco, from linux organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Reported in 2021, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2021-03-24T20:15:15.477
2024-11-21T05:44:23.623
Modified
CVSSv3.1: 8.1 (HIGH)
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
8.6
10.0
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.0be | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.0e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.1e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.2e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.3e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.4e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.5ae | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.5be | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.5e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.6e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.7e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.8e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.9e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.6.10e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.7.0e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.7.1e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.7.2e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.7.3e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.7.4e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.7.5e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.0e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.1e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.2e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.3e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.4e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.5ae | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.5e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.6e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.7e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.8e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.9e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.8.10e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.9.0e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.9.1e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.9.2be | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.9.2e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.10.0ce | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.10.0e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.10.1ae | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.10.1e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.10.1se | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.10.2e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.10.3e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.11.0e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.11.1ae | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.11.1e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.11.2ae | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.11.2e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.11.3ae | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 3.11.3e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 15.2\(7\)e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 16.11.2 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 16.12.5a | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.3.1 | Yes |
| Operating System | linux | linux_kernel | - | No |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For cisco's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.