# CVE-2019-15980: Cisco Data Center Network Manager Path Traversal Vulnerabilities

> Authenticated administrators can perform directory traversal attacks on Cisco Data Center Network Manager via REST and SOAP APIs.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Jan 2020
- **Updated:** 15 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-78x8-3xhw-vmmq

## What is CVE-2019-15980?

CVE-2019-15980 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco Data Center Network Manager, published on 6 Jan 2020. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple vulnerabilities in the REST and SOAP API endpoints and the Application Framework feature of Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct directory traversal attacks on an affected device. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker would need administrative privileges on the DCNM application. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory. Note: The severity of these vulnerabilities is aggravated by the vulnerabilities described in the Cisco Data Center Network Manager Authentication Bypass Vulnerabilities advisory, published simultaneously with this one.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-15980?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Data Center Network Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-15980?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-15980 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-15980 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-15980 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Data Center Network Manager

- [CVE-2020-3382](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3382/): Cisco Data Center Network Manager Authentication Bypass Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-15975](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15975/): Cisco Data Center Network Manager Authentication Bypass Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-15976](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15976/): Cisco Data Center Network Manager Authentication Bypass Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-15977](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15977/): Cisco Data Center Network Manager Authentication Bypass Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-1619](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1619/): Cisco Data Center Network Manager Authentication Bypass Vulnerability (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-15980 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-15980 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco Data Center Network Manager, published on 6 Jan 2020. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-15980 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Data Center Network Manager. 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-2019-15980/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15980/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-15980
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-15980
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-15980

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15980/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.