CVE-2023-20089: cisco cisco nx-os system software in aci mode
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2023-20089 is a high (CVSS 7.4) vulnerability in cisco cisco nx-os system software in aci mode. EPSS estimates a 0.30% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 20.9% of scored vulnerabilities.
Timeline
- 23-02-2023PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 25-10-2024Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
A vulnerability in the Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) feature for Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Fabric Switches in Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Mode could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a memory leak, which could result in an unexpected reload of the device. This vulnerability is due to incorrect error checking when parsing ingress LLDP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a steady stream of crafted LLDP packets to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a memory leak, which could result in a denial of service (DoS) condition when the device unexpectedly reloads. Note: This vulnerability cannot be exploited by transit traffic through the device. The crafted LLDP packet must be targeted to a directly connected interface, and the attacker must be in the same broadcast domain as the affected device (Layer 2 adjacent). In addition, the attack surface for this vulnerability can be reduced by disabling LLDP on interfaces where it is not required.
CVSS metrics
2 scores · 2 sources · 1 version- NVDNIST6.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HDiffers
EPSS trend
Probability
0.30%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
21%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
0.00 pp
From 0.30% on 19-09-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogsNot in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root cause- CWE-789Memory Allocation with Excessive Size ValueThe product allocates memory based on an untrusted, large size value, but it does not ensure that the size is within expected limits, allowing arbitrary amounts of memory to be allocated.
- CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective LifetimeThe product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, making the memory unavailable for reallocation and reuse.
Affected systems
Cisco2 products
- cisco nx-os system software in aci moden/a
- nx-os15.2\(1g\) | 15.2\(2e\) | 15.2\(2f\) | 15.2\(2g\) | 15.2\(2h\) | 15.2\(3e\) | 15.2\(3f\) | 15.2\(3g\) | 15.2\(4d\) | 15.2\(4e\) | 15.2\(4f\) | 15.2\(5c\) | 15.2\(5d\) | 15.2\(5e\) | 16.0\(1g\) | 16.0\(1j\)
1 vendor · 2 products
References
1 links- sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-aci-lldp-dos-ySCNZOpXVendor AdvisoryMitigation