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Nexus Dashboard Fabric ControllerApplication · Cisco

CVE-2024-20448

HIGH · 8.6 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-10-02
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 12.2.2 or later.
See remediation →
95/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
A vulnerability in the Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) software, formerly Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM), could allow an attacker with access to a backup file to view sensitive information. This vulnerability is due to the improper storage of sensitive information within config only and full backup files. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by parsing the contents of a backup file that is generated from an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to access sensitive information, including NDFC-connected device credentials, the NDFC site manager private key, and the scheduled backup file encryption 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 confidence

This vulnerability in Cisco NDFC (formerly DCNM) allows attackers with access to backup files to extract sensitive data including device credentials, the site manager private key, and backup encryption keys. The issue stems from improper storage of sensitive information within both config-only and full backup files without adequate protection.

MitigationApply Cisco's patch when available. Immediately secure all existing backup files with strict access controls, and rotate any exposed credentials, keys, or passwords as a precautionary measure.

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
Nexus Dashboard Fabric ControllerApplication
Affected:< 12.2.2

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
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Determine NDFC version
    Access NDFC admin interface or CLI and locate the software version information (typically found in system settings or about section)
    Affected if Installed version is below 12.2.2
  2. Locate NDFC backup files
    Identify config-only and full backup files created by NDFC - these are typically stored in the NDFC backup repository or configured backup storage location
    Affected if Backup files exist on the system
  3. Inspect backup file contents
    Extract and examine the contents of any backup files, looking for plaintext strings such as passwords, private keys, and encryption keys within the backup data
    Affected if Backup files contain plaintext device credentials, site manager private keys, or backup encryption keys that are not obfuscated or encrypted

You are affected if NDFC version is below 12.2.2 AND backup files containing plaintext sensitive credentials or keys are present on the system.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 12.2.2 or later
Fixed in 12.2.2
Interim mitigation

Apply Cisco's patch when available. Immediately secure all existing backup files with strict access controls, and rotate any exposed credentials, keys, or passwords as a precautionary measure.

Recommended fix High confidence

12.2.2

  1. 1. Identify the current version of Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller by accessing the NDFC web interface or using the 'show version' command in the CLI
  2. 2. Schedule a maintenance window for the upgrade process
  3. 3. Create a full backup of the current NDFC configuration before proceeding with the upgrade
  4. 4. Download the NDFC software version 12.2.2 or later from the Cisco Software Download center (software.cisco.com)
  5. 5. Initiate the upgrade through the NDFC web interface under Administration > Software Management, or use the CLI 'install' command
  6. 6. Monitor the upgrade progress and verify completion
  7. 7. After upgrade, log in and verify the NDFC is functioning correctly
  8. 8. Generate a new backup file and verify that sensitive information is now properly encrypted (the vulnerability is fixed in 12.2.2)

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
32.0 hours of engineering $5,600
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $8,960.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-20448 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data