CVE-2019-1602
Cisco NX-OS Software Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the filesystem permissions of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to access sensitive data that could be used to elevate their privileges to administrator. The vulnerability is due to improper implementation of filesystem permissions. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging in to the CLI of an affected device, accessing a specific file, and leveraging this information to authenticate to the NX-API server. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to make configuration changes as administrator. Note: NX-API is disabled by default. 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-Standalone 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).
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
7.8
Cisco NX-OS Software Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the filesystem permissions of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to access sensitive data that could be used to elevate their privileges to administrator. The vulnerability is due to improper implementation of filesystem permissions. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging in to the CLI of an affected device, accessing a specific file, and leveraging this information to authenticate to the NX-API server. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to make configuration changes as administrator. Note: NX-API is disabled by default. 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-Standalone 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).
- Record
CVE-2019-1602- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-264
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-10159
7.8
A vulnerability in the filesystem permissions of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to access sensitive data that could be used to elevate their privileges to administrator. The vulnerability is due to improper implementation of filesystem permissions. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging in to the CLI of an affected device, accessing a specific file, and leveraging this information to authenticate to the NX-API server. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to make configuration changes as administrator. Note: NX-API is disabled by default. 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-Standalone 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).
- Record
EUVD-2019-10159- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-4wp2-63h4-86r7
7.8
A vulnerability in the filesystem permissions of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an...
A vulnerability in the filesystem permissions of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to access sensitive data that could be used to elevate their privileges to administrator. The vulnerability is due to improper implementation of filesystem permissions. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging in to the CLI of an affected device, accessing a specific file, and leveraging this information to authenticate to the NX-API server. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to make configuration changes as administrator. Note: NX-API is disabled by default. 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-Standalone 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).
- Record
GHSA-4wp2-63h4-86r7- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
7.8
A vulnerability in the filesystem permissions of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to access sensitive data that could be used to elevate their privileges to administrator. The vulnerability is due to improper implementation of filesystem permissions. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging in to the CLI of an affected device, accessing a specific file, and leveraging this information to authenticate to the NX-API server. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to make configuration changes as administrator. Note: NX-API is disabled by default. 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-Standalone 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).
- Record
CVE-2019-1602- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.2 High
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-264
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2019-1602 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Switches, published March 8, 2019. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.38%, the 32nd percentile. No source names a fixed version.