CVE-2021-34718
Cisco IOS XR Software Arbitrary File Read and Write Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the SSH Server process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to overwrite and read arbitrary files on the local device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of arguments that are supplied by the user for a specific file transfer method. An attacker with lower-level privileges could exploit this vulnerability by specifying Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) parameters when authenticating to a device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate their privileges and retrieve and upload files on a device that they should not have access to.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Cisco IOS XR Software Arbitrary File Read and Write Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the SSH Server process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to overwrite and read arbitrary files on the local device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of arguments that are supplied by the user for a specific file transfer method. An attacker with lower-level privileges could exploit this vulnerability by specifying Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) parameters when authenticating to a device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate their privileges and retrieve and upload files on a device that they should not have access to.
- Record
CVE-2021-34718- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-88
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-21368
A vulnerability in the SSH Server process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to overwrite and read arbitrary files on the local device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of arguments that are supplied by the user for a specific file transfer method. An attacker with lower-level privileges could exploit this vulnerability by specifying Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) parameters when authenticating to a device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate their privileges and retrieve and upload files on a device that they should not have access to.
- Record
EUVD-2021-21368- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-9j7c-3668-hr3cNo score
A vulnerability in the SSH Server process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated,...
A vulnerability in the SSH Server process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to overwrite and read arbitrary files on the local device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of arguments that are supplied by the user for a specific file transfer method. An attacker with lower-level privileges could exploit this vulnerability by specifying Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) parameters when authenticating to a device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate their privileges and retrieve and upload files on a device that they should not have access to.
- Record
GHSA-9j7c-3668-hr3c- Weakness
- CWE-88
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
A vulnerability in the SSH Server process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to overwrite and read arbitrary files on the local device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of arguments that are supplied by the user for a specific file transfer method. An attacker with lower-level privileges could exploit this vulnerability by specifying Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) parameters when authenticating to a device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate their privileges and retrieve and upload files on a device that they should not have access to.
- Record
CVE-2021-34718- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 8.5 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-88
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-34718 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.1) in Cisco Ios Xr Software, published September 9, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.58%, the 75th percentile. No source names a fixed version.