# CVE-2023-20055: Cisco DNA Center Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

> Authenticated attackers with Observer credentials can escalate privileges by inspecting API responses in Cisco DNA Center.

- **Severity:** High 8.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Mar 2023
- **Updated:** 28 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3ff8-m2gm-qf6j

## What is CVE-2023-20055?

CVE-2023-20055 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center (DNA Center), published on 23 Mar 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the management API of Cisco DNA Center could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to elevate privileges in the context of the web-based management interface on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to the unintended exposure of sensitive information. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by inspecting the responses from the API. Under certain circumstances, a successful exploit could allow the attacker to access the API with the privileges of a higher-level user account. To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need at least valid Observer credentials.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20055?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Catalyst Center.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20055?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20055 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20055 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20055 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center (DNA Center)

- [CVE-2021-1264](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1264/): Cisco DNA Center Command Runner Command Injection Vulnerability (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2021-1265](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1265/): Cisco DNA Center Information Disclosure Vulnerability (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2026-20191](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20191/): Cisco Catalyst Center Arbitrary File Read Vulnerability (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2024-20350](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20350/): Cisco Catalyst Center Static SSH Host Key Vulnerability (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2020-3411](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3411/): Cisco DNA Center Information Disclosure Vulnerability (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-20055 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20055 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center (DNA Center), published on 23 Mar 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20055 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Digital Network Architecture Center (DNA Center). 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-2023-20055/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20055/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20055
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20055
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20055

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20055/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.