# CVE-2024-20280: Cisco UCS Central Software Configuration Backup Static Key Vulnerability

> An attacker with access to a backup file can decrypt sensitive data using a static key, exposing credentials and certificates.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Oct 2024
- **Updated:** 31 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jm5c-w4xp-6794

## What is CVE-2024-20280?

CVE-2024-20280 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Unified Computing System Central Software, published on 16 Oct 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the backup feature of Cisco UCS Central Software could allow an attacker with access to a backup file to learn sensitive information that is stored in the full state and configuration backup files.

This vulnerability is due to a weakness in the encryption method that is used for the backup function. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by accessing a backup file and leveraging a static key that is used for the backup configuration feature. A successful exploit could allow an attacker with access to a backup file to learn sensitive information that is stored in full state backup files and configuration backup files, such as local user credentials, authentication server passwords, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) community names, and the device SSL server certificate and key.

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials), CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-20280?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Ucs Central Software.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-20280?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-20280 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-20280 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-20280 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-20280 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-20280 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Unified Computing System Central Software, published on 16 Oct 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-20280 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Unified Computing System Central Software. 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-2024-20280/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20280/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-20280
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20280
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-20280

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20280/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.