CVE-2019-1603 in NX-OS
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to escalate lower-level privileges to the administrator level. The vulnerability is due to insufficient authorization enforcement. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the targeted device and executing commands that could lead to elevated privileges. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to make configuration changes to the system as administrator. Nexus 3000 Series Switches are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)I7(4). Nexus 3500 Platform Switches are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)I7(4). Nexus 3600 Platform Switches are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)F3(5). Nexus 9000 Series Switches-Standalone are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)I7(4). Nexus 9500 R-Series Line Cards and Fabric Modules are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)F3(5).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/31/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical privilege escalation flaw in Cisco NX-OS Software that undermines the fundamental security model of network infrastructure devices. The issue stems from insufficient authorization enforcement mechanisms within the command-line interface, creating a pathway for authenticated local attackers to elevate their privileges from standard user levels to full administrator access. The vulnerability affects multiple Nexus platform families including 3000, 3500, 3600, and 9000 series switches, highlighting a widespread weakness in Cisco's privilege management implementation across its network switching portfolio. The flaw specifically impacts versions prior to the mentioned release thresholds, indicating this represents a long-standing issue that was not properly addressed in the software lifecycle management.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a straightforward yet dangerous attack vector where an authenticated user can execute specific commands that bypass normal authorization checks. This represents a classic authorization bypass vulnerability that aligns with CWE-285, which deals with insufficient authorization mechanisms in software systems. The attacker does not require external network access or complex attack chains, making this particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with legitimate access credentials to the device. The privilege escalation allows full administrative control over the network switch, enabling attackers to modify configurations, access sensitive network data, and potentially disrupt network operations. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through inadequate access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple security breaches to potentially compromise entire network infrastructures. Network switches serve as critical control points for network traffic and security policies, making unauthorized administrative access particularly dangerous. An attacker with elevated privileges could modify routing tables, disable security features, redirect traffic, or establish backdoor access points within the network. The affected platforms represent core network infrastructure components that typically operate in production environments with minimal monitoring or access controls, making this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors. The vulnerability's presence across multiple switch families suggests that organizations may face widespread exposure if they have not upgraded to the patched versions. Organizations relying on these switches for critical network functions face significant risk of service disruption, data compromise, or network infiltration that could affect their entire operational infrastructure. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper privilege separation and authorization enforcement in network device management, as it allows attackers to gain complete control over network operations through relatively simple command execution.