Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Cisco DCNM could let a logged-in low-privileged user act like an administrator through the REST API. For organizations using DCNM to manage data center networks, this could expose confidentiality, integrity, and availability if an internal or compromised account reaches the API.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for environments using DCNM. A compromised low-privileged account could become an administrative control point for data center network management, but the provided evidence does not show known active exploitation.
Technical view
The issue is insufficient authorization in certain Cisco DCNM REST API functions. An authenticated remote attacker with low privileges could send a crafted API request and perform arbitrary REST API actions with administrative privileges. CVSS 3.0 is 8.8, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to organizations running Cisco Data Center Network Manager with the REST API reachable to authenticated users. The source bundle does not identify affected version ranges, so teams must verify deployments against Cisco guidance.
Exploitation context
CISA KEV is false, and the provided sources do not state active exploitation. Exploitation requires valid low-privileged credentials and network access to the affected REST API, which makes compromised internal accounts a relevant risk.
Researcher notes
The key gap is missing affected version detail in the provided bundle. Validation should focus on Cisco DCNM REST API exposure, role boundaries, and release applicability from the vendor advisory without attempting live exploitation.
Mitigation direction
- Review the Cisco advisory to identify affected DCNM releases and vendor-recommended remediation.
- Prioritize Cisco-supported upgrades or fixes for confirmed affected deployments.
- Restrict DCNM REST API access to trusted administration networks and users.
- Review low-privileged DCNM accounts and remove unnecessary access.
- Monitor DCNM API activity for unexpected administrative actions.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Cisco DCNM instances and confirm whether REST API access is enabled or reachable.
- Compare installed DCNM versions against Cisco advisory guidance.
- Review account roles and identify low-privileged users with API access.
- Check logs for unusual REST API administrative changes by non-admin accounts.
- Document compensating controls where upgrades cannot be completed immediately.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2020-3386 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.8 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 20200729 Cisco Data Center Network Manager Improper Authorization VulnerabilityCVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_CISCO
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Authorization
Improper Authorization represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.