CVE-2021-1297: cisco cisco small business rv series router firmware Absolute Path Traversal
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2021-1297 is a high (CVSS 9.4) Absolute Path Traversal vulnerability in cisco cisco small business rv series router firmware. EPSS estimates a 3.69% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 89.5% of scored vulnerabilities.
Timeline
- 04-02-2021PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 08-11-2024Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV160, RV160W, RV260, RV260P, and RV260W VPN Routers could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct directory traversal attacks and overwrite certain files that should be restricted on an affected system. These vulnerabilities are due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by using the web-based management interface to upload a file to location on an affected device that they should not have access to. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to overwrite files on the file system of the affected device.
CVSS metrics
3 scores · 2 sources · 2 versions- NVDNIST7.5HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
EPSS trend
Probability
3.69%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
90%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
0.00 pp
From 3.69% on 18-09-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogsNot in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root cause- CWE-36Absolute Path TraversalThe product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize absolute path sequences such as "/abs/path" that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
- CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.
Affected systems
Cisco6 products
- cisco small business rv series router firmwaren/a
- rv160_vpn_router_firmware< 1.0.01.02
- rv160w_wireless-ac_vpn_router_firmware< 1.0.01.02
- rv260_vpn_router_firmware< 1.0.01.02
- rv260p_vpn_router_with_poe_firmware< 1.0.01.02
1 vendor · 6 products
References
1 links- tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-rv160-260-filewrite-7x9mnKjnVendor AdvisoryX Refsource CISCO