CVE-2024-20440
Info Disclosure in Cisco Smart License Utility 2.0.0 … 2.2.0
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:NCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2024-20440 is a high-severity Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File (CWE-532) vulnerability in Cisco Smart License Utility. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique LSASS Memory (T1003.001); ranked in the top 1% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
A vulnerability in Cisco Smart Licensing Utility, tracked as CVE-2024-20440, arises from excessive verbosity in a debug log file. This exposure allows sensitive data to be written to logs, and the flaw is tracked under CWE-532 with a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.5 reflecting network-accessible, unauthenticated confidentiality impact.
An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit the weakness by submitting a crafted HTTP request to an affected device. Successful exploitation yields access to the debug logs, which may contain credentials usable for API access.
The Cisco Security Advisory at https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cslu-7gHMzWmw details mitigation steps for the affected utility. The associated EPSS score stands at a current value of 0.7837 with a peak of 0.7895.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-18155
Vulnerability Data
A vulnerability in Cisco Smart Licensing Utility could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access sensitive information. This vulnerability is due to excessive verbosity in a debug log file. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP…
more
request to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain log files that contain sensitive data, including credentials that can be used to access the API.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Procedures mandate excluding sensitive data from logs to prevent unauthorized exposure via audit records.
Identifies insertion of sensitive data into logs, allowing detection of unauthorized disclosure.
Cross-organizational coordination enables agreement on what data to include in audit logs, directly reducing insertion of sensitive information.
Identifying logging as a data action allows prevention of sensitive information being inserted into log files.
The process of identifying and eradicating spilled information applies directly to sensitive data inserted into log files.
Specific processing rules for sensitive PII categories commonly include restrictions on logging, making insertion of such data into log files less likely.
PIAs detect planned or existing logging of PII and require removal or protection, preventing insertion of sensitive information into logs.
Limits insertion of sensitive operational details into logs by treating such data as key information requiring protection.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Log generation configuration can and should exclude sensitive data, but the control statement focuses on availability rather than content filtering.
Secure SDLC practices directly prohibit writing sensitive data to logs; eliminating the weakness satisfies only one narrow slice of the control.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.