TI-2021-17314 Aliases CVE-2021-40119 GHSA-wjwm-57j9-gm6h

Cisco Policy Suite Static SSH Keys Vulnerability

MEDIUM 54CWE-321Published 2021-11-04 · Updated 2024-11-07

Key facts

Attack vector: Network
Privileges required: None
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: Security bypass
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: High · High · High
Fix status: No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-321.

Summary

A vulnerability in the key-based SSH authentication mechanism of Cisco Policy Suite could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to log in to an affected system as the root user. This vulnerability is due to the re-use of static SSH keys across installations. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by extracting a key from a system under their control. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to log in to an affected system as the root user.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV

EPSS 0.02497 84th percentileScored 2026-11-07

Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation: None
Automatable: Yes
Technical impact: Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions	Fixed in	Status	Source
Cisco	Cisco Policy Suite (CPS) Software	all versions	—	No fix listed	CNA

Cisco Policy Suite (CPS) Software VendorCisco Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:policy_suite::::::::	before 21.1.0	Vulnerable	Cisco

cpe:2.3:a:cisco:policy_suite:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 21.1.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco

Remediation

No fixed version listed by the sources yet.

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-40119
2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wjwm-57j9-gm6h

References

Advisory 1

20211103 Cisco Policy Suite Static SSH Keys Vulnerability

TI-2018-00334 Hard-coded credentials in Cisco Policy Suite unknown CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
TI-2018-00336 Missing authentication in Cisco Policy Suite unknown CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
TI-2018-00335 Missing authentication in Cisco Policy Suite unknown CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
TI-2018-00064 Access control flaw in Cisco Policy Suite CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.5
TI-2017-04382 Access control flaw in Cisco Policy Suite CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.8
TI-2017-04535 Improper authentication in Cisco Policy Suite CVSS 3.0MEDIUM 5.3

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences