CVE-2021-40114
CWE-770Published: October 27, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
Multiple Cisco products are affected by a vulnerability in the way the Snort detection engine processes ICMP traffic that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper memory resource management while the Snort detection engine is processing ICMP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a series of ICMP packets through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to exhaust resources on the affected device, causing the device to reload.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2021-40114 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (6)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-770)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2021-40114 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts