# CVE-2024-20356: Command injection in Cisco Unified Computing System (Standalone)

> Authenticated administrators can execute arbitrary commands to gain root privileges via command injection in Cisco IMC web interface.

- **Severity:** High 8.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Apr 2024
- **Updated:** 1 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m2xm-r93v-mjrm

## What is CVE-2024-20356?

CVE-2024-20356 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Unified Computing System (Standalone), published on 24 Apr 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Integrated Management Controller (IMC) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with Administrator-level privileges to perform command injection attacks on an affected system and elevate their privileges to root. This vulnerability is due to insufficient user input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted commands to the web-based management interface of the affected software. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate their privileges to root.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-20356?


## How do I fix CVE-2024-20356?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-20356 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-20356 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-20356 exists.

Public exploit code:

- This is a proof of concept for CVE-2024-20356, a Command Injection vulnerability in Cisco's CIMC. (github_poc): https://github.com/nettitude/CVE-2024-20356
- A oxidized version of https://github.com/nettitude/CVE-2024-20356/blob/main/CVE-2024-20356.py (github_poc): https://github.com/SherllyNeo/CVE_2024_20356

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-20356 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-20356 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Unified Computing System (Standalone), published on 24 Apr 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-20356 exists.

Affected product: Cisco Unified Computing System (Standalone). 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-2024-20356/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20356/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-20356
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20356
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-20356

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20356/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.