Cisco’s Smart Licensing Utility flaws suggest it’s pretty dumb on security

Cisco's Smart Licensing Utility flaws suggest it's pretty dumb on security

September 5, 2024 at 02:22PM

Cisco’s Smart Licensing Utility has critical vulnerabilities, allowing remote attackers to access sensitive data and administer services without authentication. The flaws, rated 9.8/10 in severity, lack workarounds and are fixed through software updates. Customers are urged to patch immediately, ensuring legitimate software access. No known malicious activity has been reported.

The meeting notes highlight two critical vulnerabilities in Cisco’s Smart Licensing Utility. These flaws could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to collect sensitive information or administer Smart Licensing services. The vulnerabilities are CVE-2024-20439 and CVE-2024-20440, both with a severity rating of 9.8 out of 10 in severity. Cisco has released software updates to address these issues, and no workarounds are available.

It’s important to note that the vulnerabilities are not exploitable unless the Smart Licensing Utility is actively running and was started by a user. However, given the severity of the flaws, it is essential to patch the system immediately to prevent potential exploitation by malicious actors.

Furthermore, it is emphasized to ensure that software updates are downloaded only for which there is a valid license from Cisco directly or an authorized reseller. This helps ensure that customers are entitled to receive the necessary maintenance upgrades.

In conclusion, it is crucial to apply the provided software updates promptly and adhere to the guidelines for downloading software to mitigate the potential risk posed by these vulnerabilities.

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