CVE-2024-20399: Technical Deep-Dive (Auto Refreshed)

Generated on 2026-03-25T19:01:15.051Z. This file is automatically regenerated every 30 minutes by the CVE AI enrichment job using web sources (NVD, MITRE, CISA KEV, GitHub).

Executive Technical Summary

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated user in possession of Administrator credentials to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of arguments that are passed to specific configuration CLI commands. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by including crafted input as the argument of an affected configuration CLI command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with the privileges of root. Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability on a Cisco NX-OS device, an attacker must have Administrator credentials. The following Cisco devices already allow administrative users to access the underlying operating system through the bash-shell feature, so, for these devices, this vulnerability does not grant any additional privileges: Nexus 3000 Series Switches Nexus 7000 Series Switches that are running Cisco NX-OS Software releases 8.1(1) and later Nexus 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode

• Context preserved from previous revision: A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated user in possession of Administrator credentials to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of arguments that are passed to specific configuration CLI commands. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by including crafted input as the argument of an affected configuration CLI command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with the privileges of root. Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability on a Cisco NX-OS device, an attacker must have Administrator credentials. The following Cisco devices already allow administrative users to access the underlying operating system through the bash-shell feature, so, for these devices, this vulnerability does not grant any additional privileges: Nexus 3000 Series Switches Nexus 7000 Series Switches that are running Cisco NX-OS Software releases 8.1(1) and later Nexus 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode Notes: A super simple Cisa KEV lookup CLI tool leveraging DuckDB

Technical Details

• CVE: CVE-2024-20399
• KEV date added: 2024-07-02
• KEV due date: 2024-07-23
• NVD published: 2024-07-01
• NVD modified: 2025-10-28
• MITRE modified: 2025-10-21
• CVSS base score: 6
• CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
• CVSS exploitability score: 0.8
• CVSS impact score: 5.2
• Attack vector: Local
• Attack complexity: Low
• Privileges required: High
• User interaction: None
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality impact: High
• Integrity impact: High
• Availability impact: None

Versions and Products Impacted

• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(2))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(2a))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(6))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(6a))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(6b))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(8))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(8a))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(8b))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(10))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(12))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(14))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(16))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(18))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(20))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(20a))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(22))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(24))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(24a))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 7.2(0)d1(1))
• cisco / nx-os (versions: 7.2(1)d1(1))

Weakness Classification

• CWE-78

Repositories for Lab Validation (Public Examples)

• ChalkingCode/ExploitedDucks | stars: 1 | updated: 2024-07-30 | https://github.com/ChalkingCode/ExploitedDucks
  Notes: A super simple Cisa KEV lookup CLI tool leveraging DuckDB

People and Organizations Mentioned

• cisco
• NX-OS
• ChalkingCode

Practical Defensive Validation (Authorized Only)

1. Use only isolated environments and systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test.
2. Snapshot infrastructure before validation and preserve baseline logs (EDR, SIEM, OS, app).
3. Inventory cisco / nx-os (versions: 6.2(2)) assets and confirm exact vulnerable versions with automated checks.
4. Patch in staged environments and validate closure with scanners + service health checks.
5. Map detections to MITRE ATT&CK tactics relevant to your environment and tune alert quality.

References

• NVD record: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20399
• MITRE CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-20399
• CISA KEV Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
• CISA KEV JSON feed: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json
• KEV notes: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-nxos-cmd-injection-xD9OhyOP; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20399
• https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-nxos-cmd-injection-xD9OhyOP
• https://www.sygnia.co/threat-reports-and-advisories/china-nexus-threat-group-velvet-ant-exploits-cisco-0-day/
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-20399
• Repository example: https://github.com/ChalkingCode/ExploitedDucks

This content is for defensive security training and authorized validation only.