Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2024-20449 is a high-severity Relative Path Traversal (CWE-23) vulnerability in Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data Obfuscation (T1001); ranked in the top 40% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
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 Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) stems from improper path validation that permits path traversal. The flaw is tracked under CVE-2024-20449 with associated CWEs 22 and 23, carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8, and affects the fabric-controller component.
An authenticated remote attacker with low privileges can exploit the issue by uploading malicious code via the Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) and traversing directories to place the payload in a location that results in arbitrary code execution inside a container running with root privileges.
The vendor has published an advisory at the referenced Cisco Security Advisory URL that addresses the path-validation weakness. The EPSS score for this CVE rose from a low baseline to a recorded peak of 0.0987, indicating increased exploitation interest after disclosure.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-18164
Vulnerability Data
A vulnerability in Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with low privileges to execute arbitrary code on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper path validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability…
more
by using the Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) to upload malicious code to an affected device using path traversal techniques. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in a specific container with the privileges of root.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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V5.3.2
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Enforces the intended directory access authorizations that path traversal would otherwise bypass.
Explicit validation of path inputs stops .. sequences from ever being interpreted by the file system.
Information-flow rules can be configured to reject traversals that would move data outside an approved directory boundary.
Least privilege reduces the set of reachable files even when a traversal succeeds.
Secure-engineering principles require safe pathname construction and input neutralization before any file operation.
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.
Patching/maintenance can remediate known path-traversal flaws in deployed software (partial prevention of exploitability) but does nothing to stop the coding defect from being introduced in the first place.
Secure SDLC practices directly require input validation and path sanitization that prevent relative traversal.
PR.AA-05 defines and reviews access policies but does not address code-level pathname neutralization, so neither direction prevents CWE-22.
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.