CVE-2017-12342

CVE-2017-12342 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Nx-os with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-668.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in the Open Agent Container (OAC) feature of Cisco Nexus Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, local attacker to read and send packets outside the scope of the OAC. The vulnerability is due to insufficient internal security measures in the OAC feature. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by crafting specific packets for communication on the device-internal network. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to run code on the underlying host operating system. OAC is not enabled by default. For a device to be vulnerable, an administrator would need to install and activate this feature. This vulnerability affects the following Cisco Nexus Series Switches: Nexus 2000 Series Fabric Extenders, Nexus 5000 Series Switches, Nexus 5500 Platform Switches, Nexus 5600 Platform Switches, Nexus 6000 Series Switches, Nexus 7000 Series Switches, Nexus 7700 Series Switches. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCve53542, CSCvf36621.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-12342?
A vulnerability in the Open Agent Container (OAC) feature of Cisco Nexus Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, local attacker to read and send packets outside the scope of the OAC. The vulnerability is due to insufficient internal security measures in the OAC feature. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by crafting specific packets for communication on the device-internal network. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to run code on the underlying host operating system. OAC is not enabled by default. For a device to be vulnerable, an administrator would need to install and activate this feature. This vulnerability affects the following Cisco Nexus Series Switches: Nexus 2000 Series Fabric Extenders, Nexus 5000 Series Switches, Nexus 5500 Platform Switches, Nexus 5600 Platform Switches, Nexus 6000 Series Switches, Nexus 7000 Series Switches, Nexus 7700 Series Switches. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCve53542, CSCvf36621.
How severe is CVE-2017-12342?
CVE-2017-12342 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.8, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability low.
Is CVE-2017-12342 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (30th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-12342?
CVE-2017-12342 primarily affects Cisco Nx-os. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-12342?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2017-12342 published?
CVE-2017-12342 was published on 2017-11-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

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