CVE-2020-3415: A vulnerability in the Data Management Engine (DME) of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary cod...

Description

A vulnerability in the Data Management Engine (DME) of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted Cisco Discovery Protocol packet to a Layer 2-adjacent affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause the Cisco Discovery Protocol process to crash and restart multiple times, causing the affected device to reload and resulting in a DoS condition. Note: Cisco Discovery Protocol is a Layer 2 protocol. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must be in the same broadcast domain as the affected device (Layer 2 adjacent). Exploitation of this vulnerability also requires jumbo frames to be enabled on the interface that receives the crafted Cisco Discovery Protocol packets on the affected device.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

8.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.76%

50.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cisco	Nx-Os	All versions
Cisco	Nx-Os	>= 4.0, < 4.0\(4h\)

References

Timeline

Published: Aug 27, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-3415?

A vulnerability in the Data Management Engine (DME) of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted Cisco Discovery Protocol packet to a Layer 2-adjacent affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with administrative privileges or cause the Cisco Discovery Protocol process to crash and restart multiple times, causing the affected device to reload and resulting in a DoS condition. Note: Cisco Discovery Protocol is a Layer 2 protocol. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must be in the same broadcast domain as the affected device (Layer 2 adjacent). Exploitation of this vulnerability also requires jumbo frames to be enabled on the interface that receives the crafted Cisco Discovery Protocol packets on the affected device.

How severe is CVE-2020-3415?

CVE-2020-3415 has a CVSS score of 8.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.76% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-3415?

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.