# CVE-2015-4231: Missing authorization in n/a

> Local administrators in one VDC can bypass restrictions to delete files in another VDC on Cisco Nexus devices.

- **Severity:** Low 3.6 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 Jul 2015
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pmh9-frrx-c2qm

## What is CVE-2015-4231?

CVE-2015-4231 is a low-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 3 Jul 2015. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Python interpreter in Cisco NX-OS 6.2(8a) on Nexus 7000 devices allows local users to bypass intended access restrictions and delete an arbitrary VDC's files by leveraging administrative privileges in one VDC, aka Bug ID CSCur08416.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-4231?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Nx-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-4231?

No fix has been published for CVE-2015-4231 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2015-4231 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-4231 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Nx-Os

- [CVE-2024-20399](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20399/): Cisco NX-OS Command Injection (medium 6.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-1361](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1361/): Cisco NX-OS Software Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Actions Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-0301](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0301/): Memory corruption in Cisco NX-OS unknown (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-1453](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1453/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-1341](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1341/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2015-4231 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-4231 is a low-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 3 Jul 2015. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-4231 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Nx-Os. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-4231/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-4231/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-4231
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-4231
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-4231

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-4231/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.