CVE-2017-12338
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco NX-OS System Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to read the contents of arbitrary files. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation for a specific CLI command. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by issuing a crafted command on the CLI. An exploit could allow the attacker unauthorized access to read arbitrary files on the underlying local file system. On products that support multiple virtual device contexts (VDCs), this vulnerability could allow an attacker to read files from any VDC. This vulnerability affects the following products running Cisco NX-OS System Software: Multilayer Director Switches, Nexus 2000 Series Fabric Extenders, Nexus 3000 Series Switches, Nexus 5000 Series Switches, Nexus 5500 Platform Switches, Nexus 5600 Platform Switches, Nexus 6000 Series Switches, Nexus 7000 Series Switches, Nexus 7700 Series Switches, Nexus 9000 Series Fabric Switches in Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) mode, Nexus 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode, Nexus 9500 R-Series Line Cards and Fabric Modules, Unified Computing System Manager. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCve51707, CSCve93961, CSCve93964, CSCve93965, CSCve93968, CSCve93974, CSCve93976.
| Software | From | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| cisco / nx-os | 8.1(0)bd(0.20) | 8.1(0)bd(0.20).x |
| cisco / nx-os | 8.0(1) | 8.0(1).x |
| cisco / nx-os | 8.1(1) | 8.1(1).x |
| cisco / unified_computing_system | 7.0(0)hsk(0.357) | 7.0(0)hsk(0.357).x |
| cisco / lan_switch_software | 12.2(1.107) | 12.2(1.107).x |
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Frequently Asked Questions
A security vulnerability is a weakness in software, hardware, or configuration that can be exploited to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Many vulnerabilities are tracked as CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), which provide a standardized identifier so teams can coordinate patching, mitigation, and risk assessment across tools and vendors.
CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) estimates technical severity, but it doesn't automatically equal business risk. Prioritize using context like internet exposure, affected asset criticality, known exploitation (proof-of-concept or in-the-wild), and whether compensating controls exist. A "Medium" CVSS on an exposed, production system can be more urgent than a "Critical" on an isolated, non-production host.
A vulnerability is the underlying weakness. An exploit is the method or code used to take advantage of it. A zero-day is a vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor or has no publicly available fix when attackers begin using it. In practice, risk increases sharply when exploitation becomes reliable or widespread.
Recurring findings usually come from incomplete Asset Discovery, inconsistent patch management, inherited images, and configuration drift. In modern environments, you also need to watch the software supply chain: dependencies, containers, build pipelines, and third-party services can reintroduce the same weakness even after you patch a single host. Unknown or unmanaged assets (often called Shadow IT) are a common reason the same issues resurface.
Use a simple, repeatable triage model: focus first on externally exposed assets, high-value systems (identity, VPN, email, production), vulnerabilities with known exploits, and issues that enable remote code execution or privilege escalation. Then enforce patch SLAs and track progress using consistent metrics so remediation is steady, not reactive.
SynScan combines attack surface monitoring and continuous security auditing to keep your inventory current, flag high-impact vulnerabilities early, and help you turn raw findings into a practical remediation plan.