CVE-2024-20284 | Cisco NX-OS Software Python Parser Escape Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the Python interpreter of Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an authenticated, low-privileged, local attacker to escape the Python sandbox and gain unauthorized access to the underlying operating system of the device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by manipulating specific functions within the Python interpreter. A successful exploit could allow an attacker to escape the Python sandbox and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with the privileges of the authenticated user.  Note: An attacker must be authenticated with Python execution privileges to exploit these vulnerabilities. For more information regarding Python execution privileges, see product-specific documentation, such as the section of the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series NX-OS Programmability Guide.

Published: 2024-08-28 Last update: 2026-06-17 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2024-20284 is rated Low Risk (24.5/100): CVSS Medium severity, with low exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.19%). Mandatory action: Monitor for updates and reassess as exploit intelligence or EPSS changes.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2024-20284

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-06-15 0.09% 0.19% +0.10%
2 2025-11-21 0.05% 0.09% +0.05%
3 2025-11-18 0.05%

Full EPSS history (7 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2024-20284

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
5.3 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:L)
They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:L)
Some sensitive info could get out, but not a total data dump.
Integrity (I:L)
Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:L)
Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.
1.8 3.4 [email protected]
8.8 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:L)
They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:C)
Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
2.0 6.0 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2024-20284

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2024-20284

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
cisco nx-os 9.3\(13\) cpe:2.3:o:cisco:nx-os:9.3\(13\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2024-20284

cvelogic Threat Intelligence