CVE-2019-1791 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco NX-OS Software allows an authenticated local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges.

Understanding CVE-2019-1791

This CVE involves a command injection vulnerability in Cisco NX-OS Software.

What is CVE-2019-1791?

The vulnerability in Cisco NX-OS Software's CLI can be exploited by an authenticated local attacker with administrator credentials to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges on the affected device's operating system.

The Impact of CVE-2019-1791

CVSS Score: 6.7 (Medium Severity)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: High
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: High
Availability Impact: High
Scope: Unchanged
User Interaction: None
The lack of thorough validation of arguments in specific CLI commands leads to this vulnerability.
Successful exploitation grants the attacker the ability to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying OS with elevated privileges.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-1791

Vulnerability Description

Insufficient validation of arguments in certain CLI commands

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco NX-OS Software
Versions Affected: < 8.3(1)

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker needs to include malicious input as the argument for the affected command

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor-provided patches or updates
Monitor network traffic for signs of malicious activity
Restrict access to administrative privileges

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software and firmware
Conduct security training for employees to prevent social engineering attacks

Patching and Updates

Cisco has released patches to address this vulnerability