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CVE-2021-1368

Cisco FXOS and NX-OS Software Unidirectional Link Detection Denial of Service and Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

8.8 High

A vulnerability in the Unidirectional Link Detection (UDLD) feature of Cisco FXOS Software and Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted Cisco UDLD protocol packets to a directly connected, affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause the Cisco UDLD process to crash and restart multiple times, causing the affected device to reload and resulting in a DoS condition. Note: The UDLD feature is disabled by default, and the conditions to exploit this vulnerability are strict. The attacker needs full control of a directly connected device. That device must be connected over a port channel that has UDLD enabled. To trigger arbitrary code execution, both the UDLD-enabled port channel and specific system conditions must exist. In the absence of either the UDLD-enabled port channel or the system conditions, attempts to exploit this vulnerability will result in a DoS condition. It is possible, but highly unlikely, that an attacker could control the necessary conditions for exploitation. The CVSS score reflects this possibility. However, given the complexity of exploitation, Cisco has assigned a Medium Security Impact Rating (SIR) to this vulnerability.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Adjacent network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

0.46%Down 0.5 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 8.8

Cisco FXOS and NX-OS Software Unidirectional Link Detection Denial of Service and Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the Unidirectional Link Detection (UDLD) feature of Cisco FXOS Software and Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted Cisco UDLD protocol packets to a directly connected, affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause the Cisco UDLD process to crash and restart multiple times, causing the affected device to reload and resulting in a DoS condition. Note: The UDLD feature is disabled by default, and the conditions to exploit this vulnerability are strict. The attacker needs full control of a directly connected device. That device must be connected over a port channel that has UDLD enabled. To trigger arbitrary code execution, both the UDLD-enabled port channel and specific system conditions must exist. In the absence of either the UDLD-enabled port channel or the system conditions, attempts to exploit this vulnerability will result in a DoS condition. It is possible, but highly unlikely, that an attacker could control the necessary conditions for exploitation. The CVSS score reflects this possibility. However, given the complexity of exploitation, Cisco has assigned a Medium Security Impact Rating (SIR) to this vulnerability.

Record
CVE-2021-1368
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-787
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-6835 8.8

A vulnerability in the Unidirectional Link Detection (UDLD) feature of Cisco FXOS Software and Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted Cisco UDLD protocol packets to a directly connected, affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause the Cisco UDLD process to crash and restart multiple times, causing the affected device to reload and resulting in a DoS condition. Note: The UDLD feature is disabled by default, and the conditions to exploit this vulnerability are strict. The attacker needs full control of a directly connected device. That device must be connected over a port channel that has UDLD enabled. To trigger arbitrary code execution, both the UDLD-enabled port channel and specific system conditions must exist. In the absence of either the UDLD-enabled port channel or the system conditions, attempts to exploit this vulnerability will result in a DoS condition. It is possible, but highly unlikely, that an attacker could control the necessary conditions for exploitation. The CVSS score reflects this possibility. However, given the complexity of exploitation, Cisco has assigned a Medium Security Impact Rating (SIR) to this vulnerability.

Record
EUVD-2021-6835
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-jp9c-4gwx-v8x8 8.8

A vulnerability in the Unidirectional Link Detection (UDLD) feature of Cisco FXOS Software and...

A vulnerability in the Unidirectional Link Detection (UDLD) feature of Cisco FXOS Software and Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted Cisco UDLD protocol packets to a directly connected, affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause the Cisco UDLD process to crash and restart multiple times, causing the affected device to reload and resulting in a DoS condition. Note: The UDLD feature is disabled by default, and the conditions to exploit this vulnerability are strict. The attacker needs full control of a directly connected device. That device must be connected over a port channel that has UDLD enabled. To trigger arbitrary code execution, both the UDLD-enabled port channel and specific system conditions must exist. In the absence of either the UDLD-enabled port channel or the system conditions, attempts to exploit this vulnerability will result in a DoS condition. It is possible, but highly unlikely, that an attacker could control the necessary conditions for exploitation. The CVSS score reflects this possibility. However, given the complexity of exploitation, Cisco has assigned a Medium Security Impact Rating (SIR) to this vulnerability.

Record
GHSA-jp9c-4gwx-v8x8
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-787
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 8.8

A vulnerability in the Unidirectional Link Detection (UDLD) feature of Cisco FXOS Software and Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted Cisco UDLD protocol packets to a directly connected, affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause the Cisco UDLD process to crash and restart multiple times, causing the affected device to reload and resulting in a DoS condition. Note: The UDLD feature is disabled by default, and the conditions to exploit this vulnerability are strict. The attacker needs full control of a directly connected device. That device must be connected over a port channel that has UDLD enabled. To trigger arbitrary code execution, both the UDLD-enabled port channel and specific system conditions must exist. In the absence of either the UDLD-enabled port channel or the system conditions, attempts to exploit this vulnerability will result in a DoS condition. It is possible, but highly unlikely, that an attacker could control the necessary conditions for exploitation. The CVSS score reflects this possibility. However, given the complexity of exploitation, Cisco has assigned a Medium Security Impact Rating (SIR) to this vulnerability.

Record
CVE-2021-1368
CVSS 3.1
8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
4.9 MediumAV:A/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness
CWE-787
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliases, publishedEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2021-1368 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Cisco Nx-os Software, published February 24, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.46%, the 39th percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

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