CVE-2021-1446

Cisco IOS XE Software DNS NAT Protocol Application Layer Gateway Denial of Service Vulnerability

Description

A vulnerability in the DNS application layer gateway (ALG) functionality used by Network Address Translation (NAT) in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause an affected device to reload. The vulnerability is due to a logic error that occurs when an affected device inspects certain DNS packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted DNS packets through an affected device that is performing NAT for DNS packets. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to cause the device to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability can be exploited only by traffic that is sent through an affected device via IPv4 packets. The vulnerability cannot be exploited via IPv6 traffic.

Category

8.6
CVSS
Severity: High
CVSS 3.1 •
CVSS 2.0 •
EPSS 1.56% Top 20%
Vendor Advisory cisco.com
Affected: Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software
Published at:
Updated at:

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the severity of CVE-2021-1446?
CVE-2021-1446 has been scored as a high severity vulnerability.
How to fix CVE-2021-1446?
To fix CVE-2021-1446, make sure you are using an up-to-date version of the affected component(s) by checking the vendor release notes. As for now, there are no other specific guidelines available.
Is CVE-2021-1446 being actively exploited in the wild?
It is possible that CVE-2021-1446 is being exploited or will be exploited in a near future based on public information. According to its EPSS score, there is a ~2% probability that this vulnerability will be exploited by malicious actors in the next 30 days.
What software or system is affected by CVE-2021-1446?
CVE-2021-1446 affects Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software.
This platform uses data from the NIST NVD, MITRE CVE, MITRE CWE, First.org and CISA KEV but is not endorsed or certified by these entities. CVE is a registred trademark of the MITRE Corporation and the authoritative source of CVE content is MITRE's CVE web site. CWE is a registred trademark of the MITRE Corporation and the authoritative source of CWE content is MITRE's CWE web site.
© 2025 Under My Watch. All Rights Reserved.