CVE-2019-1596: Cisco NX-OS Software Bash Shell Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Severity: high (CVSS 7.8 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2019-03-07 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-264

Description

A vulnerability in the Bash shell implementation for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to escalate their privilege level to root. The attacker must authenticate with valid user credentials. The vulnerability is due to incorrect permissions of a system executable. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the device and entering a crafted command at the Bash prompt. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to escalate their privilege level to root. Nexus 3000 Series Switches are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)I7(4). Nexus 3500 Platform Switches are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)I7(4). Nexus 3600 Platform Switches are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)F3(5). Nexus 9000 Series Switches in Standalone NX-OS Mode are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)I7(4). Nexus 9500 R-Series Line Cards and Fabric Modules are affected in versions prior to 7.0(3)F3(5).

Affected products

Cisco NX-OS: before 7.0\(3\)i4\(9\); from 7.0\(3\)i5 before 7.0\(3\)i7\(4\); from 7.0\(3\)i7 before 7.0\(3\)i7\(4\); from 7.0\(3\)f3\(1\) before 7.0\(3\)f3\(5\) — fixed in 7.0\(3\)f3\(5\), 7.0\(3\)i4\(9\), 7.0\(3\)i7\(4\)

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Cisco NX-OS 7.0\(3\)f3\(5\), 7.0\(3\)i4\(9\), 7.0\(3\)i7\(4\). Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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