Is CVE-2021-40119 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2021-40119 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2021-40119 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2021-40119 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2021-40119?

CVE-2021-40119 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

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CRITICAL

CVE-2021-40119

CWE-321Published: November 4, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

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.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-40119 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 complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.