CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-20326NVD status: Analyzed

Cisco ConfD: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-20326 is a high-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command vulnerability in Cisco ConfD from Cisco, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected Cisco ConfD versions: 7.3.5; 7.3.5.2; 7.3.5.1, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.34% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update confd to 7.5.10.2 or 7.6.14.2 or 7.7.15 or 7.8.13.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update network_services_orchestrator to 5.5.10.1 or 5.6.14.3 or 5.7.15 or 5.8.13.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Update Crosswork Network Services Orchestrator to 5.4 or 5.5 or 5.5.10.1 or 5.6.14.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  4. Read the advisory on sec.cloudapps.cisco.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
CiscoCisco ConfD7.3.5; 7.3.5.2; 7.3.5.1; 7.3.6; 7.4.5.3; 7.4.5.2; 7.4.6; 7.4.5.1; and 32 more rangesNot stated
CiscoCisco ConfD Basic8.0.1; 8.0.6; 8.0.4; 8.0.2; 8.0.3; 8.0.5; 8.0.10; 8.0.11; and 5 more rangesNot stated
CiscoCisco Network Services OrchestratorNot specified in the recordNot stated
Ciscoconfd7.5.3 up to, but not including, 7.5.10.2; 7.6 up to, but not including, 7.6.14.2; 7.7 up to, but not including, 7.7.15; 7.8 up to, but not including, 7.8.13.1; 8.0 up to, but not including, 8.0.12; 7.1.7; 7.2.7; 7.3.7; and 1 more ranges7.5.10.2, 7.6.14.2, 7.7.15, 7.8.13.1, 8.0.12
Cisconetwork_services_orchestrator5.1.7; 5.2.7; 5.3.5; 5.4.5; 5.5.3 up to, but not including, 5.5.10.1; 5.6 up to, but not including, 5.6.14.3; 5.7 up to, but not including, 5.7.15; 5.8 up to, but not including, 5.8.13.1; and 3 more ranges5.5.10.1, 5.6.14.3, 5.7.15, 5.8.13.1, 6.0.12, 6.1.7
CiscoConfd Basic7.1.7; 7.8.3; 8.0; 8.0.1; 8.0.2; 8.0.3; 8.0.4; 8.0.5; and 6 more rangesNot stated
CiscoConfd Premium7.3.5; 7.3.5.1; 7.3.5.2; 7.3.6; 7.4.5; 7.4.5.1; 7.4.5.2; 7.4.5.3; and 32 more rangesNot stated
CiscoCrosswork Network Services Orchestrator5.3.5 up to, but not including, 5.4; 5.4.5 up to, but not including, 5.5; 5.5.3 up to, but not including, 5.5.10.1; 5.6 up to, but not including, 5.6.14.3; 5.7 up to, but not including, 5.7.15; 5.8 up to, but not including, 5.8.13.1; 6.0 through 6.0.12; 6.1 through 6.1.7; and 4 more ranges5.4, 5.5, 5.5.10.1, 5.6.14.3, 5.7.15, 5.8.13.1

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (cisco.com).

Official description

A vulnerability in the ConfD CLI and the Cisco Crosswork Network Services Orchestrator CLI could allow an authenticated, low-privileged, local attacker to read and write arbitrary files as root on the underlying operating system. This vulnerability is due to improper authorization enforcement when specific CLI commands are used. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by executing an affected CLI command with crafted arguments. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read or write arbitrary files on the underlying operating system with the privileges of the root user.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command

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 before it is sent to a downstream component.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • If at all possible, use library calls rather than external processes to recreate the desired functionality.
  • For any data that will be used to generate a command to be executed, keep as much of that data out of external control as possible. For example, in web applications, this may require storing the data locally in the session's state instead of sending it out to the client in a hidden form field.
  • For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.

More Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities (CWE-78)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Cisco ConfD

All Cisco ConfD vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities

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