CVE-2024-20399

CVE-2024-20399 is a significant software vulnerability that was discovered in Cisco's Nexus Switch Devices. The flaw, rated with a CVSS score of 6.0, enables authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of an affected device. This vulnerability has been exploited by the China-Nexus threat group known as 'Velvet Ant,' leading to potential security breaches and system compromises. The exploitation of this vulnerability by 'Velvet Ant' led to a critical advisory from Sygnia for mitigation and response. The group targeted and compromised users by exploiting OS command injection defects in network edge devices, specifically leveraging the CVE-2024-20399 vulnerability. The incident highlights the risk posed by such vulnerabilities and emphasizes the need for timely detection, patching, and mitigation strategies to prevent future attacks. In response to these threat actor campaigns, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have released a new Secure by Design Alert titled "Eliminating OS Command Injection Vulnerabilities." This alert aims to raise awareness about the dangers of OS command injection vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-20399 and provides guidance on how to eliminate such weaknesses in network edge devices to enhance overall cybersecurity.