Enterprise Network Function Virtualization InfrastructureApplication · Cisco
CVE-2020-3478
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedA vulnerability in the REST API of Cisco Enterprise NFV Infrastructure Software (NFVIS) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to overwrite certain files that should be restricted on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient authorization enforcement on an affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a file using the REST API. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to overwrite and upload files, which could degrade the functionality of the affected system.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA vulnerability in Cisco Enterprise NFV Infrastructure Software's REST API allows authenticated attackers to overwrite restricted files due to insufficient authorization enforcement on file upload operations. An attacker with valid API credentials can exploit this by uploading files to locations that should be protected, potentially degrading system functionality.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Enterprise Network Function Virtualization InfrastructureApplication
>= 3.5.1, <= 4.1.2CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed Cisco NFV Infrastructure Software versionLocate the software version through the system management interface, CLI command 'show version', or version file in the system directory. Compare this version number against the affected range: 3.5.1 through 4.1.2.Affected if The installed version is greater than or equal to 3.5.1 and less than or equal to 4.1.2
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Verify REST API is enabledCheck the NFV Infrastructure configuration for REST API service status. Look for API service enablement in the management interface or configuration files under the API settings section.Affected if REST API service is enabled and accessible
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Confirm API authentication is configuredReview the REST API authentication settings to determine if valid credentials exist. Check for configured API users or tokens in the authentication configuration.Affected if API authentication is configured with valid user credentials
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Inspect for unauthorized file modificationsExamine restricted system directories and configuration files for unexpected changes. Compare current file timestamps and checksums against known good baselines, particularly in directories writable via the REST API.Affected if Files in restricted directories have been modified unexpectedly or without corresponding change requests
You are affected if your Cisco Enterprise NFV Infrastructure Software version is between 3.5.1 and 4.1.2 inclusive AND the REST API is enabled with active authentication, allowing an authenticated attacker to overwrite restricted files.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataApply the vendor patch from Cisco when available. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict REST API access to trusted IP addresses and review API authentication mechanisms to limit exposure.
Fix this in Enterprise Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,120.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-3478 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-3478 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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