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 se...

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.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

0.38%

30.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cisco	Nx-Os	7.0\(0\)hsk\(0.357\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	8.1\(1\)

References

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/102027Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039940Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20171129-nxos9Vendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/102027Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039940Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20171129-nxos9Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Nov 30, 2017
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

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?

Severity scoring for CVE-2017-12342 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 0.38% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2017-12342?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.