How severe is CVE-2024-20478?

CVE-2024-20478 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2024-20478 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2024-20478?

CVE-2024-20478 primarily affects Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller. In total, 222 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2024-20478?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

Does CVE-2024-20478 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2024-20478 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2024-18193.

When was CVE-2024-20478 published?

CVE-2024-20478 was published on 2024-08-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2024-20478

CVE-2024-20478 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. 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-250.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (50th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2024-18193
Weakness: CWE-250
Affected product: Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller
Published: 2024-08-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A vulnerability in the software upgrade component of Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) and Cisco Cloud Network Controller, formerly Cisco Cloud APIC, could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with Administrator-level privileges to install a modified software image, leading to arbitrary code injection on an affected system. This vulnerability is due to insufficient signature validation of software images. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a modified software image. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system and elevate their privileges to root. Note: Administrators should always validate the hash of any upgrade image before uploading it to Cisco APIC and Cisco Cloud Network Controller.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-20478?: A vulnerability in the software upgrade component of Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) and Cisco Cloud Network Controller, formerly Cisco Cloud APIC, could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with Administrator-level privileges to install a modified software image, leading to arbitrary code injection on an affected system. This vulnerability is due to insufficient signature validation of software images. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a modified software image. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system and elevate their privileges to root. Note: Administrators should always validate the hash of any upgrade image before uploading it to Cisco APIC and Cisco Cloud Network Controller.
How severe is CVE-2024-20478?: CVE-2024-20478 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2024-20478 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2024-20478?: CVE-2024-20478 primarily affects Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller. In total, 222 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2024-20478?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2024-20478 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2024-20478 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2024-18193.
When was CVE-2024-20478 published?: CVE-2024-20478 was published on 2024-08-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-capic-priv-esc-uYQJjnuU

Affected products (222)

cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1n\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1o\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1r\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1s\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(2h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(2i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(3f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4e\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4g\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4l\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4m\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(1h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(1i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(1k\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(1m\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(2g\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(2h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(2i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(2j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(3c\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(3e\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(3h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(3m\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(1g\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(1h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(1i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(1j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2k\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1k\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1l\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1m\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1n\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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