# CVE-2023-20185: Weak cryptography in Cisco NX-OS System Software in ACI Mode

> An on-path attacker can break weak encryption to read or modify intersite traffic on Cisco Nexus 9000 switches in ACI mode.

- **Severity:** High 7.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Jul 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jpfv-6q3x-wx9f

## What is CVE-2023-20185?

CVE-2023-20185 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 12 Jul 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the Cisco ACI Multi-Site CloudSec encryption feature of Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Fabric Switches in ACI mode could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to read or modify intersite encrypted traffic.

 This vulnerability is due to an issue with the implementation of the ciphers that are used by the CloudSec encryption feature on affected switches. An attacker with an on-path position between the ACI sites could exploit this vulnerability by intercepting intersite encrypted traffic and using cryptanalytic techniques to break the encryption. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read or modify the traffic that is transmitted between the sites.

 Cisco has not released and will not release software updates that address this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-326 (Inadequate Encryption Strength), CWE-330 (Use of Insufficiently Random Values)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20185?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Nx-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20185?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20185 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20185 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20185 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-2023-20185 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20185 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 12 Jul 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20185 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-2023-20185/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20185/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20185
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20185
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20185

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20185/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.