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CVE-2020-3396

Cisco IOS XE Software IOx Guest Shell USB SSD Namespace Protection Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

6.8 Medium

A vulnerability in the file system on the pluggable USB 3.0 Solid State Drive (SSD) for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, physical attacker to remove the USB 3.0 SSD and modify sensitive areas of the file system, including the namespace container protections. The vulnerability occurs because the USB 3.0 SSD control data is not stored on the internal boot flash. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by removing the USB 3.0 SSD, modifying or deleting files on the USB 3.0 SSD by using another device, and then reinserting the USB 3.0 SSD on the original device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to remove container protections and perform file actions outside the namespace of the container with root privileges.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Physical
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
High
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.32%Down 0.1 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 6.8

Cisco IOS XE Software IOx Guest Shell USB SSD Namespace Protection Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the file system on the pluggable USB 3.0 Solid State Drive (SSD) for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, physical attacker to remove the USB 3.0 SSD and modify sensitive areas of the file system, including the namespace container protections. The vulnerability occurs because the USB 3.0 SSD control data is not stored on the internal boot flash. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by removing the USB 3.0 SSD, modifying or deleting files on the USB 3.0 SSD by using another device, and then reinserting the USB 3.0 SSD on the original device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to remove container protections and perform file actions outside the namespace of the container with root privileges.

Record
CVE-2020-3396
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-284
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-24667 6.8

A vulnerability in the file system on the pluggable USB 3.0 Solid State Drive (SSD) for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, physical attacker to remove the USB 3.0 SSD and modify sensitive areas of the file system, including the namespace container protections. The vulnerability occurs because the USB 3.0 SSD control data is not stored on the internal boot flash. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by removing the USB 3.0 SSD, modifying or deleting files on the USB 3.0 SSD by using another device, and then reinserting the USB 3.0 SSD on the original device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to remove container protections and perform file actions outside the namespace of the container with root privileges.

Record
EUVD-2020-24667
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-22hc-p772-wg38 7.2

A vulnerability in the file system on the pluggable USB 3.0 Solid State Drive (SSD) for Cisco IOS...

A vulnerability in the file system on the pluggable USB 3.0 Solid State Drive (SSD) for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, physical attacker to remove the USB 3.0 SSD and modify sensitive areas of the file system, including the namespace container protections. The vulnerability occurs because the USB 3.0 SSD control data is not stored on the internal boot flash. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by removing the USB 3.0 SSD, modifying or deleting files on the USB 3.0 SSD by using another device, and then reinserting the USB 3.0 SSD on the original device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to remove container protections and perform file actions outside the namespace of the container with root privileges.

Record
GHSA-22hc-p772-wg38
CVSS 3.1
7.2 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-269, CWE-284
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 6.8

A vulnerability in the file system on the pluggable USB 3.0 Solid State Drive (SSD) for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, physical attacker to remove the USB 3.0 SSD and modify sensitive areas of the file system, including the namespace container protections. The vulnerability occurs because the USB 3.0 SSD control data is not stored on the internal boot flash. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by removing the USB 3.0 SSD, modifying or deleting files on the USB 3.0 SSD by using another device, and then reinserting the USB 3.0 SSD on the original device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to remove container protections and perform file actions outside the namespace of the container with root privileges.

Record
CVE-2020-3396
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
CVSS 3.1
7.2 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
6.9 MediumAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Weakness
CWE-284, CWE-269
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliases, publishedEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-3396 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.8) in Cisco Ios Xe Software, published September 24, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.32%, the 25th percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

MoveEnter Open