CVE-2022-20858 in Nexus Dashboard
Summary
by MITRE • 07/21/2022
Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco Nexus Dashboard could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands, read or upload container image files, or perform a cross-site request forgery attack. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-20858 affects Cisco Nexus Dashboard, a web-based management interface for Cisco Nexus switches and data center infrastructure. This critical flaw resides in the web application layer of the Nexus Dashboard system, creating multiple attack vectors that can be exploited by unauthenticated remote adversaries without requiring any valid credentials or prior access to the network. The vulnerability represents a significant security weakness in Cisco's network management infrastructure, potentially compromising the entire data center environment that relies on Nexus switches for core network operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication mechanisms within the Nexus Dashboard web interface. Attackers can exploit these weaknesses to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system, effectively gaining administrative control over the network devices managed through the dashboard. The flaw also enables unauthorized file operations including reading sensitive container image files and uploading malicious content, while simultaneously providing opportunities for cross-site request forgery attacks that can manipulate user sessions and perform unauthorized administrative actions. These vulnerabilities align with CWE-79 Cross-Site Scripting and CWE-20 Improper Input Validation, demonstrating how poor input sanitization can lead to remote code execution and privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-20858 is severe and far-reaching within enterprise network environments. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can gain complete control over the Nexus Dashboard and subsequently compromise the underlying network infrastructure, potentially leading to data breaches, network disruption, and unauthorized access to sensitive corporate information. The ability to upload and execute arbitrary container images creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for establishing backdoors, deploying malware, or conducting advanced persistent threats against the organization's network infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using Cisco Nexus switches in data center environments where the dashboard serves as the primary management interface for critical network operations and where the compromise of management systems can lead to widespread service disruption.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by Cisco, restricting network access to the Nexus Dashboard through firewalls and access control lists, and implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of management interfaces. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566 Credential Access, highlighting the need for comprehensive security monitoring and incident response procedures. Additional defensive measures include implementing network intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious traffic patterns, conducting regular security assessments of management interfaces, and establishing privileged access management controls to limit the scope of potential damage from any successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary web management interfaces when not actively required for maintenance operations to reduce the attack surface and minimize the risk of exploitation.