Cisco NX-OS Software up to 10.5(1) Software Image os command injection

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Cisco NX-OS Software. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component Software Image Handler. The manipulation leads to os command injection. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2025-20161. The attack needs to be performed locally. There is not any exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Cisco NX-OS Software. This issue affects an unknown functionality of the component Software Image Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a os command injection vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-78. The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

A vulnerability in the software upgrade process of Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Switches and Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode could allow an authenticated, local attacker with valid Administrator credentials to execute a command injection attack on the underlying operating system of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of specific elements within a software image. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a crafted image. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with root privileges.  Note: Administrators should validate the hash of any software image before installation.

The advisory is shared at sec.cloudapps.cisco.com. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2025-20161 since 10/10/2024. The exploitation is known to be easy. An attack has to be approached locally. The exploitation needs additional levels of successful authentication. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1202 for this issue.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 216849 (Cisco Nexus 3000 9000 Series Switches Comm Injection (cisco-sa-nxos-ici-dpOjbWxk)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at Tenable (216849). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Router Operating System

Vendor

• Cisco

Name

• NX-OS Software

Version

• 6.0(2)A8(1)
• 6.0(2)A8(2)
• 6.0(2)A8(3)
• 6.0(2)A8(4)
• 6.0(2)A8(4a)
• 6.0(2)A8(5)
• 6.0(2)A8(6)
• 6.0(2)A8(7)
• 6.0(2)A8(7a)
• 6.0(2)A8(7b)
• 6.0(2)A8(8)
• 6.0(2)A8(9)
• 6.0(2)A8(10)
• 6.0(2)A8(10a)
• 6.0(2)A8(11)
• 6.0(2)A8(11a)
• 6.0(2)A8(11b)
• 7.0(3)F3(1)
• 7.0(3)F3(2)
• 7.0(3)F3(3)
• 7.0(3)F3(3a)
• 7.0(3)F3(3c)
• 7.0(3)F3(4)
• 7.0(3)F3(5)
• 7.0(3)I4(1)
• 7.0(3)I4(1t)
• 7.0(3)I4(2)
• 7.0(3)I4(3)
• 7.0(3)I4(4)
• 7.0(3)I4(5)
• 7.0(3)I4(6)
• 7.0(3)I4(6t)
• 7.0(3)I4(7)
• 7.0(3)I4(8)
• 7.0(3)I4(8a)
• 7.0(3)I4(8b)
• 7.0(3)I4(8z)
• 7.0(3)I4(9)
• 7.0(3)I5(1)
• 7.0(3)I5(2)
• 7.0(3)I5(3)
• 7.0(3)I5(3a)
• 7.0(3)I5(3b)
• 7.0(3)I6(1)
• 7.0(3)I6(2)
• 7.0(3)I7(1)
• 7.0(3)I7(2)
• 7.0(3)I7(3)
• 7.0(3)I7(3z)
• 7.0(3)I7(4)
• 7.0(3)I7(5)
• 7.0(3)I7(5a)
• 7.0(3)I7(6)
• 7.0(3)I7(6z)
• 7.0(3)I7(7)
• 7.0(3)I7(8)
• 7.0(3)I7(9)
• 7.0(3)I7(9w)
• 7.0(3)I7(10)
• 7.0(3)IA7(1)
• 7.0(3)IA7(2)
• 7.0(3)IC4(4)
• 7.0(3)IM7(2)
• 9.2(1)
• 9.2(2)
• 9.2(2t)
• 9.2(2v)
• 9.2(3)
• 9.2(3y)
• 9.2(4)
• 9.3(1)
• 9.3(1z)
• 9.3(2)
• 9.3(3)
• 9.3(4)
• 9.3(5)
• 9.3(5w)
• 9.3(6)
• 9.3(7)
• 9.3(7a)
• 9.3(7k)
• 9.3(8)
• 9.3(9)
• 9.3(10)
• 9.3(11)
• 9.3(12)
• 9.3(13)
• 9.3(14)
• 10.1(1)
• 10.1(2)
• 10.1(2t)
• 10.2(1)
• 10.2(1q)
• 10.2(2)
• 10.2(2a)
• 10.2(3)
• 10.2(3t)
• 10.2(3v)
• 10.2(4)
• 10.2(5)
• 10.2(6)
• 10.2(7)
• 10.2(8)
• 10.3(1)
• 10.3(2)
• 10.3(3)
• 10.3(3o)
• 10.3(3p)
• 10.3(3q)
• 10.3(3r)
• 10.3(3w)
• 10.3(3x)
• 10.3(4)
• 10.3(4a)
• 10.3(4g)
• 10.3(4h)
• 10.3(5)
• 10.3(6)
• 10.3(99w)
• 10.3(99x)
• 10.4(1)
• 10.4(2)
• 10.4(3)
• 10.5(1)

License

• commercial

Website

• Vendor: https://www.cisco.com/

CPE 2.3info

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Entryinfo

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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