# CVE-2023-20115: Missing authorization in Cisco NX-OS Software

> Authenticated non-admin users can read or overwrite OS files on Cisco Nexus switches due to improper role verification in the SFTP server.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/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:** 23 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x4px-54q2-j29c

## What is CVE-2023-20115?

CVE-2023-20115 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 23 Aug 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the SFTP server implementation for Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Switches and 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to download or overwrite files from the underlying operating system of an affected device. 

 This vulnerability is due to a logic error when verifying the user role when an SFTP connection is opened to an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting and authenticating via SFTP as a valid, non-administrator user. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read or overwrite files from the underlying operating system with the privileges of the authenticated user.

   There are workarounds that address this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-671 (Lack of Administrator Control over Security)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20115?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Nx-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20115?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20115 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20115 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20115 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-2023-20115 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20115 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 23 Aug 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20115 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-2023-20115/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20115/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20115
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20115
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20115

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20115/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.