# CVE-2023-20230: Missing authorization in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)

> Authenticated attackers can read, modify, or delete non-tenant policies across security domains due to improper access control in Cisco APIC.

- **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:** 1 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fc53-p2c6-q69h

## What is CVE-2023-20230?

CVE-2023-20230 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), 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 restricted security domain implementation of Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to read, modify, or delete non-tenant policies (for example, access policies) created by users associated with a different security domain on an affected system.

 This vulnerability is due to improper access control when restricted security domains are used to implement multi-tenancy for policies outside the tenant boundaries. An attacker with a valid user account associated with a restricted security domain could exploit this vulnerability. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read, modify, or delete policies created by users associated with a different security domain. Exploitation is not possible for policies under tenants that an attacker has no authorization to access.

Weakness: CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource), CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20230?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20230?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20230 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20230 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20230 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)

- [CVE-2021-1393](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1393/): Cisco Application Services Engine Unauthorized Access Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-1396](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1396/): Cisco Application Services Engine Unauthorized Access Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-1577](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1577/): Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Arbitrary File Read and Write Vulnerability (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2023-20011](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20011/): Cross-site request forgery in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-1578](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1578/): Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-20230 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20230 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), 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-2023-20230 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC). 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-2023-20230/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20230/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20230
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20230
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20230

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20230/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.