Ucs Central SoftwareApplication · Cisco
CVE-2024-20280
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 backup feature of Cisco UCS Central Software could allow an attacker with access to a backup file to learn sensitive information that is stored in the full state and configuration backup files. This vulnerability is due to a weakness in the encryption method that is used for the backup function. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by accessing a backup file and leveraging a static key that is used for the backup configuration feature. A successful exploit could allow an attacker with access to a backup file to learn sensitive information that is stored in full state backup files and configuration backup files, such as local user credentials, authentication server passwords, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) community names, and the device SSL server certificate and key.
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 confidenceCisco UCS Central Software uses a weak, static encryption key for its backup feature. An attacker with access to a backup file can decrypt it using this static key to extract sensitive data including local user credentials, authentication server passwords, SNMP community strings, and SSL certificates/keys.
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
Ucs Central SoftwareApplication
= 1.0\(1a\)= 1.1\(1a\)= 1.1\(1b\)= 1.1\(2a\)= 1.2\(1a\)= 1.2\(1d\)= 1.2\(1e\)= 1.2\(1f\)= 1.3\(1a\)= 1.3\(1b\)= 1.3\(1c\)= 1.4\(1a\)CVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
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 UCS Central versionRun the command to display the UCS Central software version (e.g., show version or equivalent CLI command for your installation)Affected if The version displayed matches one of the affected versions: 1.0(1a), 1.1(1a), 1.1(1b), 1.1(2a), 1.2(1a), 1.2(1d), 1.2(1e), 1.2(1f), 1.3(1a), 1.3(1b), 1.3(1c), or 1.4(1a)
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Locate backup filesIdentify any backup files created by the Cisco UCS Central backup feature. Check the configured backup storage location (typically a designated directory or remote server)Affected if One or more backup files exist that were created using the vulnerable software version
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Verify backup encryption methodExamine the backup file metadata or configuration to confirm whether the backup was encrypted using the built-in encryption feature (rather than external encryption)Affected if Backups were encrypted using the native UCS Central backup encryption mechanism
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Assess backup file access controlsReview file system permissions and access logs to determine if unauthorized users or systems could have obtained a copy of the backup filesAffected if Backup files are accessible to users or systems beyond the intended backup administrators
You are affected if your Cisco UCS Central version is one of the listed affected versions AND you have backup files created by that version that could have been accessed by an attacker, since the static encryption key in those backups could allow decryption of sensitive data.
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.
dbcve · scopedApply the Cisco patch when available and rotate all exposed credentials (local users, SNMP communities, authentication server passwords) and regenerate SSL certificates/keys that may have been in backup files.
UCS Central 1.1(2b) or later fixed release - check Cisco advisory for exact version
- 1. Identify your current Cisco UCS Central Software version using the GUI (Admin > Utility > Firmware Management) or CLI (show version)
- 2. Obtain the fixed version from Cisco's security advisory for CVE-2024-20280 at sec.cloudapps.cisco.com
- 3. Download the fixed UCS Central software version from Cisco.com download page
- 4. If possible, review backup files created before the upgrade - consider re-encrypting or re-creating backups after patching
- 5. Schedule maintenance window for the upgrade process
- 6. Back up current UCS Central configuration before upgrading
- 7. Install the fixed version following standard UCS Central upgrade procedures
- 8. After upgrade, regenerate any sensitive credentials that may have been exposed in old backups
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Ucs Central Software
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 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 $3,168.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-20280 — 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-2024-20280 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
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