Cisco Smart Software Manager On-Prem Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

published 2020-08-26 6 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2020-24714

cvss: 8.8; version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 1.8%; EPSS 1.8% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 78%
public exploits: 0; none known

A vulnerability in Cisco Smart Software Manager On-Prem (SSM On-Prem) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to elevate privileges and execute commands with higher privileges. The vulnerability is due to insufficient authorization of the System Operator role capabilities. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging in with the System Operator role, performing a series of actions, and then assuming a new higher privileged role. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform all actions associated with the privilege of the assumed role. If that role is an administrative role, the attacker would gain full access to the device.

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical impact: total
Assessed: 23 mo ago (2024-11-13)

Exploit prediction

1.79% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 78% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	3.1	8.8	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD	3.1	8.8	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD	2.0	6.5	AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P

Affected products

Cisco Cisco Smart Software Manager On-Prem

Classification

Weakness

CWE-264 Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls
CWE-862 Missing Authorization

References

tools.cisco.com /security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-smart-priv-esca-nqwxXWBu
vendor-advisory

Sources

CVE List CVE-2020-3443
NVD CVE-2020-3443

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Summary