# CVE-2024-20291: Missing authorization in Cisco NX-OS Software

> Unauthenticated remote attackers can bypass ACLs on port channel subinterfaces to access protected network resources due to incorrect hardware programming.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/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:** 28 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 9 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wwgf-8wgf-pm54

## What is CVE-2024-20291?

CVE-2024-20291 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 28 Feb 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the access control list (ACL) programming for port channel subinterfaces of Cisco Nexus 3000 and 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to send traffic that should be blocked through an affected device.

 This vulnerability is due to incorrect hardware programming that occurs when configuration changes are made to port channel member ports. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by attempting to send traffic through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to access network resources that should be protected by an ACL that was applied on port channel subinterfaces.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-20291?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Nx-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-20291?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-20291 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-20291 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-20291 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-2024-20291 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-20291 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 28 Feb 2024. 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-2024-20291 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-2024-20291/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20291/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-20291
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20291
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-20291

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20291/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.