A vulnerability in Cisco NX-OS System Software patch installation could allow an authenticated, local attacker to write a file to arbitrary locations. The vulnerability is due to insufficient restrictions in the patch installation process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a crafted patch image on an affected device. The vulnerable operation occurs prior to patch activation. An exploit could allow the attacker to write arbitrary files on an affected system as root. The attacker would need valid administrator credentials to perform this exploit. This vulnerability affects the following products running Cisco NX-OS System Software: Multilayer Director Switches, Nexus 2000 Series Fabric Extenders, Nexus 5000 Series Switches, Nexus 5500 Platform Switches, Nexus 5600 Platform Switches, Nexus 6000 Series Switches, Nexus 7000 Series Switches, Nexus 7700 Series Switches, Unified Computing System Manager. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvf16513, CSCvf23794, CSCvf23832.
This vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 4.4, requiring local system access to exploit with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction . The vulnerability impacts integrity (unauthorized modifications), for affected systems. Impacting 2 products from cisco, from cisco organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
First disclosed in 2017, this vulnerability was reported during a period defined by widespread IoT adoption challenges, mobile security concerns, and the emergence of advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques. Contemporary mitigation strategies focused on secure development practices and third-party component vetting.
2017-11-30T09:29:00.400
2025-04-20T01:37:25.860
Deferred
CVSSv3.0: 4.4 (MEDIUM)
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:N
3.9
6.9
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | cisco | unified_computing_system | 7.0\(0\)hsk\(0.357\) | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | nx-os | 8.1\(0\)bd\(0.20\) | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | nx-os | 8.1\(1\) | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For cisco's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.