Vulnerability Monitor

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CVE-2017-6768


A vulnerability in the build procedure for certain executable system files installed at boot time on Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) devices could allow an authenticated, local attacker to gain root-level privileges. The vulnerability is due to a custom executable system file that was built to use relative search paths for libraries without properly validating the library to be loaded. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the device and loading a malicious library that can escalate the privilege level. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain root-level privileges and take full control of the device. The attacker must have valid user credentials to log in to the device. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvc96087. Known Affected Releases: 1.1(0.920a), 1.1(1j), 1.1(3f); 1.2 Base, 1.2(2), 1.2(3), 1.2.2; 1.3(1), 1.3(2), 1.3(2f); 2.0 Base, 2.0(1).


Security Impact Summary

This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8, requiring local system access to exploit with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction requiring only low-level privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from cisco organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.

Historical Context

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.


Published

2017-08-17T20:29:00.433

Last Modified

2026-05-13T00:24:29.033

Status

Modified

Source

[email protected]

Severity

CVSSv3.0: 7.8 (HIGH)

CVSSv2 Vector

AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

  • Access Vector: LOCAL
  • Access Complexity: LOW
  • Authentication: NONE
  • Confidentiality Impact: COMPLETE
  • Integrity Impact: COMPLETE
  • Availability Impact: COMPLETE
Exploitability Score

3.9

Impact Score

10.0

Weaknesses
  • Type: Primary
    CWE-426

Affected Vendors & Products
Type Vendor Product Version/Range Vulnerable?
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(0.920a\) Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(1j\) Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(3f\) Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(2\) Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(3\) Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2.2 Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2_base Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(1\) Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(2\) Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(2f\) Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(1\) Yes
Application cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0_base Yes

References

How SecUtils Interprets This CVE

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.