CVE-2019-1965
Cisco NX-OS Software Remote Management Memory Leak Denial of Service Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the Virtual Shell (VSH) session management for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a VSH process to fail to delete upon termination. This can lead to a build-up of VSH processes that overtime can deplete system memory. When there is no system memory available, this can cause unexpected system behaviors and crashes. The vulnerability is due to the VSH process not being properly deleted when a remote management connection to the device is disconnected. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by repeatedly performing a remote management connection to the device and terminating the connection in an unexpected manner. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the VSH processes to fail to delete, which can lead to a system-wide denial of service (DoS) condition. The attacker must have valid user credentials to log in to the device using the remote management connection.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.7
Cisco NX-OS Software Remote Management Memory Leak Denial of Service Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the Virtual Shell (VSH) session management for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a VSH process to fail to delete upon termination. This can lead to a build-up of VSH processes that overtime can deplete system memory. When there is no system memory available, this can cause unexpected system behaviors and crashes. The vulnerability is due to the VSH process not being properly deleted when a remote management connection to the device is disconnected. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by repeatedly performing a remote management connection to the device and terminating the connection in an unexpected manner. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the VSH processes to fail to delete, which can lead to a system-wide denial of service (DoS) condition. The attacker must have valid user credentials to log in to the device using the remote management connection.
- Record
CVE-2019-1965- CVSS 3.0
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-400
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-10522
7.7
A vulnerability in the Virtual Shell (VSH) session management for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a VSH process to fail to delete upon termination. This can lead to a build-up of VSH processes that overtime can deplete system memory. When there is no system memory available, this can cause unexpected system behaviors and crashes. The vulnerability is due to the VSH process not being properly deleted when a remote management connection to the device is disconnected. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by repeatedly performing a remote management connection to the device and terminating the connection in an unexpected manner. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the VSH processes to fail to delete, which can lead to a system-wide denial of service (DoS) condition. The attacker must have valid user credentials to log in to the device using the remote management connection.
- Record
EUVD-2019-10522- CVSS 3.0
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-6q32-36x4-ww95 No score
A vulnerability in the Virtual Shell (VSH) session management for Cisco NX-OS Software could...
A vulnerability in the Virtual Shell (VSH) session management for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a VSH process to fail to delete upon termination. This can lead to a build-up of VSH processes that overtime can deplete system memory. When there is no system memory available, this can cause unexpected system behaviors and crashes. The vulnerability is due to the VSH process not being properly deleted when a remote management connection to the device is disconnected. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by repeatedly performing a remote management connection to the device and terminating the connection in an unexpected manner. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the VSH processes to fail to delete, which can lead to a system-wide denial of service (DoS) condition. The attacker must have valid user credentials to log in to the device using the remote management connection.
- Record
GHSA-6q32-36x4-ww95- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
7.7
A vulnerability in the Virtual Shell (VSH) session management for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a VSH process to fail to delete upon termination. This can lead to a build-up of VSH processes that overtime can deplete system memory. When there is no system memory available, this can cause unexpected system behaviors and crashes. The vulnerability is due to the VSH process not being properly deleted when a remote management connection to the device is disconnected. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by repeatedly performing a remote management connection to the device and terminating the connection in an unexpected manner. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the VSH processes to fail to delete, which can lead to a system-wide denial of service (DoS) condition. The attacker must have valid user credentials to log in to the device using the remote management connection.
- Record
CVE-2019-1965- CVSS 3.1
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 3.0
- 7.7 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 4.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-400, CWE-772
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2019-1965 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.7) in Cisco Nx-os Software, published August 28, 2019. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.53%, the 74th percentile. No source names a fixed version.