Cisco NX-OS Software Command Injection Vulnerability

TL;DR 📌

A command injection vulnerability has been identified in Cisco NX-OS Software that could allow an authenticated local attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. This vulnerability has a CVSS score of 4.4, indicating a Medium severity level. Cisco has released software updates to address this issue, but there are no workarounds available.

What happened 🕵️‍♂️

A vulnerability in the command-line interface (CLI) of Cisco NX-OS Software allows an authenticated, local attacker to perform a command injection attack on the operating system of affected devices. This vulnerability arises from insufficient validation of user-supplied input. If exploited, an attacker with valid user credentials could read and write files on the underlying operating system with the privileges of a non-root user account.

Affected products 🖥️

The following Cisco products are affected by this vulnerability:

• MDS 9000 Series Multilayer Switches
• Nexus 1000 Virtual Edge for VMware vSphere
• Nexus 3000 Series Switches
• Nexus 5500 Platform Switches
• Nexus 5600 Platform Switches
• Nexus 6000 Series Switches
• Nexus 7000 Series Switches
• Nexus 9000 Series Fabric Switches in ACI mode
• Nexus 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode
• UCS 6400 Series Fabric Interconnects
• UCS 6500 Series Fabric Interconnects
• UCS X-Series Direct Fabric Interconnect 9108 100G

Fixed software 🔧

Upgrade to the first fixed release in your train (or later):

Workarounds 🧯

There are no workarounds available to mitigate this vulnerability.

Risk in context 🎯

With a CVSS score of 4.4, this vulnerability is rated as Medium severity. It requires authenticated local access, meaning that an attacker must already have valid credentials to exploit it. While the risk of exploitation is limited to local access, the potential for unauthorized file access on the device’s operating system remains a concern.

Fast facts ⚡

• Vulnerability: Command injection in Cisco NX-OS Software
• CVSS Score: 4.4 (Medium)
• Exploitation: Requires authenticated local access
• Workarounds: None available
• Fixed Software: Updates released, specific versions not listed

For leadership 🧭

This vulnerability presents a Medium risk to our network infrastructure, as it requires authenticated access to exploit. The exposure is limited to local users, but successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized file access on affected devices. Immediate remediation is recommended: patch within 7 days if your organization uses any of the affected products. The operational impact is expected to be minimal, involving a brief maintenance window with no anticipated configuration drift.

Now: Identify affected devices and plan for patching.
Next: Apply software updates as per Cisco’s guidance.
Later: Monitor for any unusual activity related to user accounts on affected devices.