CVE-2020-3396 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability in the file system on the pluggable USB 3.0 Solid State Drive (SSD) for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an attacker to escalate privileges.

Understanding CVE-2020-3396

This CVE involves a privilege escalation vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software.

What is CVE-2020-3396?

The vulnerability allows an authenticated, physical attacker to remove the USB 3.0 SSD and modify sensitive areas of the file system, potentially leading to unauthorized actions with root privileges.

The Impact of CVE-2020-3396

The vulnerability could result in the removal of container protections and unauthorized file actions outside the container's namespace with elevated privileges.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-3396

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw arises from the USB 3.0 SSD control data not being stored on the internal boot flash, enabling an attacker to manipulate the file system.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Cisco IOS XE Software
Vendor: Cisco
Version: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker removes the USB 3.0 SSD, modifies or deletes files, and reinserts the SSD to execute unauthorized actions.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect systems from CVE-2020-3396 with these strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Monitor physical access to devices housing USB SSDs
Implement strict access controls to prevent unauthorized removal

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch systems to address vulnerabilities
Conduct security training to educate users on physical security best practices

Patching and Updates

Apply relevant patches and updates from Cisco to mitigate the vulnerability.