CVE-2024-20478 | Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller App Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the software upgrade component of Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) and Cisco Cloud Network Controller, formerly Cisco Cloud APIC, could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with Administrator-level privileges to install a modified software image, leading to arbitrary code injection on an affected system. This vulnerability is due to insufficient signature validation of software images. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a modified software image. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system and elevate their privileges to root. Note: Administrators should always validate the hash of any upgrade image before uploading it to Cisco APIC and Cisco Cloud Network Controller.

Published: 2024-08-28 Last update: 2025-08-01 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Analyzed，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2024-20478 is rated Moderate Risk (43.6/100): CVSS Medium severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.27%). Review affected assets and schedule remediation.

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-2024-20478

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 2026-01-17 0.22% 0.27% +0.05%
2 2026-01-04 0.26% 0.22% -0.04%
3 2025-11-27 — 0.26% —

Full EPSS history (14 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2024-20478

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
6.5 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
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:H)
They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
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: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:N)
Service keeps running; no real outage angle.
 1.2 5.2 [email protected]
7.2 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
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:H)
They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
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: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.
 1.2 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2024-20478

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2024-20478

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(1d\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1d\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(1j\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(1n\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1n\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(1o\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1o\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(1r\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1r\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(1s\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(1s\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(2h\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(2h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(2i\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(2i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(3f\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(3f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(4e\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4e\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(4f\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(4g\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4g\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(4i\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(4l\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4l\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.1\(4m\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.1\(4m\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(1h\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(1h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(1i\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(1i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(1k\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(1k\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(1m\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(1m\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(2g\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(2g\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(2h\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(2h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(2i\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(2i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(2j\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(2j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(3c\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(3c\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(3e\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(3e\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(3h\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(3h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.2\(3m\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.2\(3m\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(1g\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(1g\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(1h\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(1h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(1i\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(1i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(1j\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(1j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(2f\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(2h\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(2i\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(2j\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 1.3\(2k\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:1.3\(2k\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(1k\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1k\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(1l\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1l\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(1m\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1m\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(1n\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1n\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(1o\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1o\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(1p\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1p\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(1q\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1q\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(1r\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(1r\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(2f\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(2f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(2g\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(2g\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(2h\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(2h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(2l\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(2l\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(2m\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(2m\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(2n\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(2n\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.0\(2o\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.0\(2o\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(1h\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(1h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(1i\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(1i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(2e\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(2e\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(2f\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(2f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(2g\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(2g\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(2k\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(2k\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(3g\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(3g\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(3h\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(3h\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(3j\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(3j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.1\(4a\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.1\(4a\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(1k\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(1k\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(1n\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(1n\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(1o\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(1o\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(2e\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(2e\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(2f\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(2f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(2i\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(2i\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(2j\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(2j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(2k\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(2k\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(2q\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(2q\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(3j\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(3j\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(3p\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(3p\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(3r\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(3r\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(3s\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(3s\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(3t\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(3t\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(4f\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(4f\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(4p\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(4p\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(4q\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(4q\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.2\(4r\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.2\(4r\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco application_policy_infrastructure_controller 2.3\(1e\) cpe:2.3:a:cisco:application_policy_infrastructure_controller:2.3\(1e\):*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2024-20478

cvelogic Threat Intelligence