# CVE-2024-20399: Cisco NX-OS Command Injection

> Authenticated administrators can execute arbitrary root commands on Cisco NX-OS devices via insufficient CLI argument validation.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 2 Jul 2024 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 1 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-428g-3m2x-46jh

## What is CVE-2024-20399?

CVE-2024-20399 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 1 Jul 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 CLI of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated user in possession of Administrator credentials to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of an affected device.

This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of arguments that are passed to specific configuration CLI commands. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by including crafted input as the argument of an affected configuration CLI command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with the privileges of root.
Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability on a Cisco NX-OS device, an attacker must have Administrator credentials. The following Cisco devices already allow administrative users to access the underlying operating system through the bash-shell feature, so, for these devices, this vulnerability does not grant any additional privileges:

Nexus 3000 Series Switches
Nexus 7000 Series Switches that are running Cisco NX-OS Software releases 8.1(1) and later
Nexus 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-20399?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Nx-Os.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-20399?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-20399 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 23 Jul 2024.

## Is CVE-2024-20399 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2024-20399 in the wild since at least 2 Jul 2024.

Public exploit code:

- CVE‑2024‑20399 - Draft or TODO (github_poc): https://github.com/HORKimhab/CVE-2024-20399

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Nx-Os

- [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)
- [CVE-2022-20650](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-20650/): Cisco NX-OS Software NX-API Command Injection Vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-20399 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-20399 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Nx-Os, published on 1 Jul 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2024-20399 in the wild since at least 2 Jul 2024.

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-2024-20399/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20399/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-20399
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20399
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-20399

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20399/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.