# CVE-2024-20366: Privilege escalation in Cisco Network Services Orchestrator

> An authenticated local attacker can elevate privileges to root by manipulating the application's search path to execute malicious files.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 May 2024
- **Updated:** 1 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fpvx-gw57-2p3v

## What is CVE-2024-20366?

CVE-2024-20366 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Network Services Orchestrator, published on 15 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the Tail-f High Availability Cluster Communications (HCC) function pack of Cisco Crosswork Network Services Orchestrator (NSO) could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to root on an affected device.

 This vulnerability exists because a user-controlled search path is used to locate executable files. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by configuring the application in a way that causes a malicious file to be executed. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on an affected device as the root user. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need valid credentials on an affected device.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element), CWE-73 (External Control of File Name or Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-20366?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Network Services Orchestrator.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-20366?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-20366 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-20366 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-20366 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Network Services Orchestrator

- [CVE-2018-0274](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0274/): Command injection in Cisco Network Services Orchestrator unknown (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-0463](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0463/): Cisco Network Services Orchestrator Network Plug and Play Information Disclosure Vulnerability (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-20040](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20040/): Path traversal in Cisco Network Services Orchestrator (medium 5.5)
- [CVE-2021-1132](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1132/): Cisco Network Services Orchestrator Path Traversal Vulnerability (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2024-20369](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20369/): Open redirect in Cisco Network Services Orchestrator (medium 4.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-20366 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-20366 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Network Services Orchestrator, published on 15 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-20366 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Network Services Orchestrator. 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-2024-20366/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20366/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-20366
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20366
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-20366

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20366/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.