# CVE-2019-1966: Cisco Unified Computing System Fabric Interconnect root Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

> Authenticated local attackers can gain root privileges on Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects via a specific CLI command in the local-mgmt context.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Aug 2019
- **Updated:** 20 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wjmx-f4ff-3r2q

## What is CVE-2019-1966?

CVE-2019-1966 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 29 Aug 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 specific CLI command within the local management (local-mgmt) context for Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnect Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to gain elevated privileges as the root user on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to extraneous subcommand options present for a specific CLI command within the local-mgmt context. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to an affected device, entering the local-mgmt context, and issuing a specific CLI command and submitting user input. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary operating system commands as root on an affected device. The attacker would need to have valid user credentials for the device.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-1966?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Cisco Nx-Os, Cisco Unified Computing System.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-1966?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-1966 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-1966 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-1966 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-2019-1966 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-1966 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 29 Aug 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-2019-1966 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-2019-1966/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1966/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-1966
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1966
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-1966

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1966/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.