CVE-2019-1780 in NX-OS
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco FXOS Software and Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker with administrator credentials to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system of an affected device with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of arguments passed to certain CLI commands. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by including malicious input as the argument of an affected command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with elevated privileges. An attacker would need valid administrator credentials to exploit this vulnerability. NX-OS versions prior to 8.3(1) are affected. NX-OS versions prior to 8.3(1) are affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-1780 represents a critical command injection flaw within the command line interface of Cisco's FXOS and NX-OS software platforms. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize arguments passed to specific CLI commands. The vulnerability exists in the underlying operating system layer of affected Cisco devices, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code with elevated system permissions. The flaw specifically impacts devices running NX-OS versions prior to 8.3(1), making these systems particularly susceptible to exploitation by malicious actors who possess legitimate administrator credentials.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the attacker's ability to manipulate CLI command arguments through carefully crafted malicious input. When an authenticated administrator executes an affected command with tainted input parameters, the system fails to validate the supplied arguments, allowing the attacker to inject and execute arbitrary commands within the operating system context. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 attack pattern classification, which specifically addresses command injection flaws where attacker-supplied data is interpreted as part of a command. The attack vector requires local access with administrative privileges, meaning the exploit cannot be performed remotely without first obtaining valid administrative credentials through other means such as credential theft or social engineering attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-1780 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as successful exploitation grants attackers full control over the underlying operating system of affected devices. This elevated access enables attackers to modify system configurations, install malicious software, access sensitive data, and potentially use the compromised device as a launching point for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability's presence in network infrastructure devices like switches and routers creates significant risk for organizations, as these devices often serve as critical points of network control and data flow management. The exploitation of this flaw could lead to complete network compromise, data exfiltration, and disruption of critical network services. Organizations running affected NX-OS versions face substantial risk of lateral movement attacks, as compromised network devices can be used to pivot to other systems within the network perimeter.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-1780 primarily focus on upgrading affected systems to NX-OS version 8.3(1) or later, which includes the necessary patches to address the input validation deficiencies. Network administrators should also implement strict access controls and monitor CLI command execution logs for suspicious activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced, limiting administrative access to only essential personnel and systems. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and intrusion detection systems to monitor for anomalous command execution patterns that could indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all affected devices and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure and network criticality. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the use of command execution capabilities to gain elevated system access, making it a critical concern for enterprise security operations and incident response procedures.