# CVE-2020-3521: Cisco Data Center Network Manager Read File Path Traversal Vulnerability

> An authenticated attacker can exploit a path traversal vulnerability in Cisco DCNM to read arbitrary files on the system.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Aug 2020
- **Updated:** 13 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-89j8-pfrr-r63r

## What is CVE-2020-3521?

CVE-2020-3521 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco Data Center Network Manager, published on 26 Aug 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in a specific REST API of Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct directory traversal attacks on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input to the API. An attacker with a low-privileged account could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted request to the API. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read arbitrary files on the affected system.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-3521?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Data Center Network Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-3521?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-3521 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-3521 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-3521 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-2020-3521 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-3521 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco Data Center Network Manager, published on 26 Aug 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-3521 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-2020-3521/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3521/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-3521
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3521
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-3521

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3521/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.