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Global phishing Multiple sectors HIGH 1h Global insider Cybersecurity Services CRITICAL 1h Global ransomware Multiple sectors (U.S. companies) CRITICAL 1h Global malware Financial Services, Cryptocurrency CRITICAL 2h Global malware Technology and Cloud Services HIGH 2h Global general Financial Services and E-commerce MEDIUM 2h Global data_breach Social Media and Communications CRITICAL 2h Global general Cybersecurity Operations HIGH 3h Global phishing Technology and Consumer Services HIGH 3h Global data_breach Multiple sectors HIGH 3h Global phishing Multiple sectors HIGH 1h Global insider Cybersecurity Services CRITICAL 1h Global ransomware Multiple sectors (U.S. companies) CRITICAL 1h Global malware Financial Services, Cryptocurrency CRITICAL 2h Global malware Technology and Cloud Services HIGH 2h Global general Financial Services and E-commerce MEDIUM 2h Global data_breach Social Media and Communications CRITICAL 2h Global general Cybersecurity Operations HIGH 3h Global phishing Technology and Consumer Services HIGH 3h Global data_breach Multiple sectors HIGH 3h Global phishing Multiple sectors HIGH 1h Global insider Cybersecurity Services CRITICAL 1h Global ransomware Multiple sectors (U.S. companies) CRITICAL 1h Global malware Financial Services, Cryptocurrency CRITICAL 2h Global malware Technology and Cloud Services HIGH 2h Global general Financial Services and E-commerce MEDIUM 2h Global data_breach Social Media and Communications CRITICAL 2h Global general Cybersecurity Operations HIGH 3h Global phishing Technology and Consumer Services HIGH 3h Global data_breach Multiple sectors HIGH 3h
Vulnerabilities

CVE-2021-1498

Critical 🇺🇸 CISA KEV ⚡ Exploit Available
Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Command Injection Vulnerability — Cisco HyperFlex HX Installer Virtual Machine contains an insufficient input validation vulnerability which could allow an attacker to
Published: Nov 3, 2021  ·  Source: CISA_KEV
CVSS v3
9.0
🔗 NVD Official
📄 Description (English)

Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform Command Injection Vulnerability — Cisco HyperFlex HX Installer Virtual Machine contains an insufficient input validation vulnerability which could allow an attacker to execute commands on an affected device as the tomcat8 user.

🤖 AI Executive Summary

A critical command injection vulnerability (CVE-2021-1498) in Cisco HyperFlex HX Data Platform allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands with tomcat8 privileges through insufficient input validation in the installer VM. With a CVSS score of 9.0 and publicly available exploits, this poses an immediate threat to organizations using HyperFlex infrastructure. Immediate patching is essential to prevent unauthorized access and potential lateral movement within virtualized environments.

📄 Description (Arabic)

🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 19, 2026 20:49
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi organizations in critical sectors face significant risk: (1) Banking & Financial Services (SAMA-regulated institutions) relying on HyperFlex for virtualized infrastructure could experience data breaches and service disruption; (2) Government entities (NCA oversight) using HyperFlex for sensitive operations face compromise of classified systems; (3) Energy sector (ARAMCO, Saudi Electricity Company) dependent on HyperFlex for SCADA/ICS virtualization could face operational technology disruption; (4) Telecom providers (STC, Mobily) using HyperFlex for cloud services face customer data exposure; (5) Healthcare organizations managing patient records on HyperFlex infrastructure face HIPAA-equivalent compliance violations. The availability of public exploits significantly elevates risk across all sectors.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking & Financial Services Government & Public Administration Energy & Utilities Telecommunications Healthcare Large Enterprise IT Infrastructure
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
8.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all Cisco HyperFlex HX installations in your environment and document versions
2. Isolate affected HyperFlex installer VMs from network access immediately if patching cannot be completed within 24 hours
3. Review access logs for the past 90 days for suspicious activity on HyperFlex management interfaces
4. Enable enhanced logging on HyperFlex systems to capture command execution attempts

PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Apply Cisco security patch for CVE-2021-1498 immediately (available from Cisco Security Advisories)
2. Prioritize patching of internet-facing or DMZ-located HyperFlex installer VMs
3. Test patches in non-production environment first, then deploy to production with change management approval
4. Verify patch application by checking Cisco HyperFlex version post-update

COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if immediate patching not possible):
1. Implement network segmentation: restrict access to HyperFlex installer VM to authorized administrators only via VPN/bastion hosts
2. Deploy WAF/IPS rules to block command injection payloads targeting HyperFlex endpoints
3. Disable HyperFlex installer VM if not actively in use; keep powered off until patched
4. Implement strict input validation at network perimeter for HyperFlex management traffic

DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor for HTTP POST requests to HyperFlex installer endpoints containing shell metacharacters (;, |, &, $, `, backticks)
2. Alert on tomcat8 process spawning unexpected child processes (bash, sh, cmd.exe)
3. Monitor /var/log/tomcat8/catalina.out for error patterns indicating command injection attempts
4. Track failed authentication attempts followed by successful command execution on HyperFlex systems
5. Implement YARA/Snort rules for known CVE-2021-1498 exploit signatures
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. حدد جميع تثبيتات Cisco HyperFlex HX في بيئتك وقم بتوثيق الإصدارات
2. عزل أجهزة VM الخاصة بمثبت HyperFlex المتأثرة عن الوصول إلى الشبكة فوراً إذا لم يكن التصحيح ممكناً خلال 24 ساعة
3. راجع سجلات الوصول للـ 90 يوماً الماضية للبحث عن نشاط مريب على واجهات إدارة HyperFlex
4. قم بتفعيل السجلات المحسّنة على أنظمة HyperFlex لالتقاط محاولات تنفيذ الأوامر

إرشادات التصحيح:
1. طبق تصحيح أمان Cisco لـ CVE-2021-1498 فوراً (متاح من مستشاريات أمان Cisco)
2. أعط الأولوية لتصحيح أجهزة VM الخاصة بمثبت HyperFlex المواجهة للإنترنت أو الموجودة في DMZ
3. اختبر التصحيحات في بيئة غير الإنتاج أولاً، ثم انشرها في الإنتاج مع موافقة إدارة التغيير
4. تحقق من تطبيق التصحيح بفحص إصدار Cisco HyperFlex بعد التحديث

الضوابط البديلة (إذا لم يكن التصحيح الفوري ممكناً):
1. طبق تقسيم الشبكة: قيد الوصول إلى جهاز VM الخاص بمثبت HyperFlex على المسؤولين المصرح لهم فقط عبر VPN/أجهزة bastion
2. انشر قواعد WAF/IPS لحجب حمولات حقن الأوامر الموجهة لنقاط نهاية HyperFlex
3. عطّل جهاز VM الخاص بمثبت HyperFlex إذا لم يكن قيد الاستخدام النشط؛ اتركه مطفأً حتى يتم تصحيحه
4. طبق التحقق الصارم من المدخلات على محيط الشبكة لحركة إدارة HyperFlex

قواعد الكشف:
1. راقب طلبات HTTP POST إلى نقاط نهاية مثبت HyperFlex التي تحتوي على أحرف shell metacharacters (;, |, &, $, `, backticks)
2. أصدر تنبيهات عند قيام عملية tomcat8 بإنشاء عمليات فرعية غير متوقعة (bash, sh, cmd.exe)
3. راقب /var/log/tomcat8/catalina.out للبحث عن أنماط الأخطاء التي تشير إلى محاولات حقن الأوامر
4. تتبع محاولات المصادقة الفاشلة متبوعة بتنفيذ أوامر ناجح على أنظمة HyperFlex
5. طبق قواعل YARA/Snort للتوقيعات المعروفة لاستغلال CVE-2021-1498
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.5.1.1 - Access Control: Implement network segmentation and restrict HyperFlex access ECC 2024 A.12.2.1 - Change Management: Establish formal patching procedures for critical vulnerabilities ECC 2024 A.12.6.1 - Malware Protection: Deploy detection rules for command injection attempts ECC 2024 A.16.1.5 - Incident Response: Establish procedures for responding to exploitation attempts
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.AM-2: Inventory of critical assets (HyperFlex systems) SAMA CSF PR.AC-1: Access control policies for infrastructure management SAMA CSF PR.PT-1: Protective technology deployment (WAF/IPS rules) SAMA CSF DE.CM-1: Detection and monitoring of anomalous activity SAMA CSF RS.RP-1: Response planning and incident management
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.15 - Access Control: Restrict access to HyperFlex management interfaces ISO 27001:2022 A.8.1 - Asset Management: Maintain inventory of HyperFlex installations ISO 27001:2022 A.12.6.1 - Technical vulnerability management: Apply security patches promptly ISO 27001:2022 A.14.2.1 - Change management: Formal procedures for patching critical systems
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0
PCI DSS 6.2 - Security patches: Apply patches for critical vulnerabilities within 30 days PCI DSS 11.2 - Vulnerability scanning: Scan for command injection vulnerabilities PCI DSS 1.1 - Firewall rules: Implement network segmentation for HyperFlex systems
🔗 References & Sources 0
No references.
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
Cisco:HyperFlex HX
📊 CVSS Score
9.0
/ 10.0 — Critical
📋 Quick Facts
Severity Critical
CVSS Score9.0
EPSS94.21%
Exploit ✓ Yes
Patch ✓ Yes
CISA KEV🇺🇸 Yes
KEV Due Date2021-11-17
Published 2021-11-03
Source Feed cisa_kev
Views 3
🇸🇦 Saudi Risk Score
8.8
/ 10.0 — Saudi Risk
Priority: CRITICAL
🏷️ Tags
kev actively-exploited
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