# CVE-2024-20478: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller App Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

> Authenticated administrators can install modified software images to execute arbitrary code and gain root privileges on Cisco APIC systems.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/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:** 28 Aug 2024
- **Updated:** 6 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j3cr-gpf3-q8w2

## What is CVE-2024-20478?

CVE-2024-20478 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), published on 28 Aug 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the software upgrade component of Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) and Cisco Cloud Network Controller, formerly Cisco Cloud APIC, could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with Administrator-level privileges to install a modified software image, leading to arbitrary code injection on an affected system.

This vulnerability is due to insufficient signature validation of software images. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a modified software image. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system and elevate their privileges to root.
Note: Administrators should always validate the hash of any upgrade image before uploading it to Cisco APIC and Cisco Cloud Network Controller.

Weakness: CWE-250 (Execution with Unnecessary Privileges)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-20478?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-20478?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-20478 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-20478 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-20478 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)

- [CVE-2021-1393](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1393/): Cisco Application Services Engine Unauthorized Access Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-1396](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1396/): Cisco Application Services Engine Unauthorized Access Vulnerabilities (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-1577](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1577/): Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Arbitrary File Read and Write Vulnerability (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2023-20011](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20011/): Cross-site request forgery in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-1578](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1578/): Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-20478 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-20478 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), published on 28 Aug 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-20478 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC). 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-2024-20478/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20478/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-20478
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20478
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-20478

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20478/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.