# CVE-2019-12717: Cisco NX-OS Software Virtualization Manager Command Injection Vulnerability

> Authenticated local attackers can execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on Cisco NX-OS devices via insufficient validation in a VMAN CLI command.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 25 Sep 2019
- **Updated:** 20 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xw9j-h8x5-jqmq

## What is CVE-2019-12717?

CVE-2019-12717 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 25 Sep 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in a CLI command related to the virtualization manager (VMAN) in Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying Linux operating system with root privileges. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of arguments passed to a specific VMAN CLI command on an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by including malicious input as the argument of an affected command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying Linux operating system with root privileges, which may lead to complete system compromise. An attacker would need valid administrator credentials to exploit this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-12717?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Nx-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-12717?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-12717 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-12717 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-12717 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-2019-12717 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-12717 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 25 Sep 2019. 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-2019-12717 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-2019-12717/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12717/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-12717
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-12717
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-12717

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12717/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.