CVE-2024-20397

Medium
5.2
0.05.010.0
Year
2024
Published
Dec 4, 2024
Known Affected Devices
0
CVSS Score
5.2

What is CVE-2024-20397?

A vulnerability in the bootloader of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to an affected device, or an authenticated, local attacker with administrative credentials, to bypass NX-OS image signature verification.  This vulnerability is due to insecure bootloader settings. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by executing a series of bootloader commands. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to bypass NX-OS image signature verification and load unverified software.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

CVSS 3.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N
AV
Attack Vector
Physical

Requires physical presence — attacker must physically touch the device (e.g. USB port).

AC
Attack Complexity
Low

No special conditions required. Exploit can be performed reliably and repeatedly.

PR
Privileges Required
None

No authentication required. Any anonymous user can exploit this vulnerability.

UI
User Interaction
None

No user interaction required. Exploit runs without any victim action.

S
Scope
Unchanged

Exploiting the vulnerability only affects the vulnerable component itself.

C
Confidentiality Impact
Low

Some sensitive information is disclosed, but attacker has limited access.

I
Integrity Impact
High

Complete loss of integrity. Attacker can modify any file or data on the component.

A
Availability Impact
None

No availability impact. Service remains fully operational.

Known Affected Devices

FAQ

How severe is CVE-2024-20397?

CVE-2024-20397 has a CVSS score of 5.2/10, rated as Medium. Review the affected products list and apply vendor patches.

What does the CVSS score mean for CVE-2024-20397?

CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) rates vulnerability severity from 0.0 to 10.0. CVE-2024-20397 scores 5.2/10 (Medium). Scores 9.0–10.0 are Critical, 7.0–8.9 are High, 4.0–6.9 are Medium, and below 4.0 are Low.

Which devices are affected by CVE-2024-20397?

The list of devices confirmed to be affected by CVE-2024-20397 is shown in the "Affected Devices" section above. Check your firmware version against the vendor security advisory and apply the latest patch.

How do I fix or mitigate CVE-2024-20397?

Apply the latest firmware or software update from the vendor. Check the References section above for official advisories and patch notes. If no patch is available, consider disabling the affected feature or isolating the device from untrusted networks.