CVE-2025-20150: Cisco Nexus Dashboard Info Disclosure

CVE-2025-20150 Overview

CVE-2025-20150 is an information disclosure vulnerability in Cisco Nexus Dashboard. The flaw allows an unauthenticated, remote attacker to enumerate valid Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) user accounts by sending crafted authentication requests to an affected system. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of LDAP authentication requests, which produces observable response differences between valid and invalid usernames [CWE-209].

Cisco disclosed the issue through its Product Security Incident Response Team advisory. The vulnerability carries a network attack vector with low complexity and requires no privileges or user interaction. Successful exploitation reveals only usernames, but that information supports targeted follow-on attacks such as password spraying or phishing against confirmed accounts.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can identify valid LDAP usernames on Cisco Nexus Dashboard, enabling reconnaissance for subsequent credential-based attacks against directory-integrated infrastructure.

Affected Products

Cisco Nexus Dashboard (multiple versions per vendor advisory cisco-sa-nd-unenum-2xFFh472)
Deployments configured with LDAP as an external authentication source
On-premises and virtual appliance form factors of Nexus Dashboard

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-16 - CVE-2025-20150 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-20150

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2025-20150 is a user enumeration weakness classified under [CWE-209] Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information. Cisco Nexus Dashboard integrates with enterprise directory services using LDAP to authenticate administrative and operator accounts. The authentication endpoint responds differently depending on whether a submitted username exists in the connected LDAP directory.

An attacker submits authentication requests containing candidate usernames from wordlists, breach corpora, or organizational OSINT. Response timing, status codes, or error messages differ between existing and non-existing accounts. The attacker records which submissions indicate a valid user and builds a confirmed account list without triggering standard failed-login alerts tied to correct usernames.

The confidentiality-only impact reflects that exploitation does not modify data or disrupt service. However, enumerated accounts frequently feed password spraying, credential stuffing, and phishing operations against network operations staff who typically hold privileged access to switching fabric managed by Nexus Dashboard.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper handling of LDAP authentication requests in the Nexus Dashboard authentication workflow. The application does not normalize responses between the "user not found" and "user found but credentials invalid" outcomes. This response divergence leaks directory membership to any network-reachable caller.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires only network access to the Nexus Dashboard authentication interface. The attacker sends sequential or parallel authentication attempts using candidate usernames and observes response differences. No credentials, tokens, or user interaction are required. The vulnerability affects deployments that expose the management interface to untrusted networks or to any user segment where reconnaissance is a concern.

No public proof-of-concept exploit or exploitation in the wild has been reported. The EPSS probability is 0.496%.

Refer to the Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-nd-unenum-2xFFh472 for vendor-confirmed technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-20150

Indicators of Compromise

High volumes of failed LDAP-backed authentication attempts against the Nexus Dashboard management interface from a single source or narrow IP range
Sequential authentication attempts iterating through common username formats such as first.last, flast, or service account naming conventions
Authentication traffic originating from IP addresses outside the network operations administrator segment
Unusual timing patterns in /login or LDAP proxy endpoints suggesting automated enumeration tooling

Detection Strategies

Enable verbose authentication logging on Nexus Dashboard and forward logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation
Alert on authentication attempts where the same source IP submits more than a defined threshold of distinct usernames within a short window
Correlate Nexus Dashboard authentication logs with upstream LDAP or Active Directory logs to identify enumeration patterns that stop before credential submission
Baseline normal administrative login geography and flag deviations tied to authentication endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

Monitor the Nexus Dashboard management network segment for unauthorized east-west connections to the authentication interface
Track failed authentication counts per source IP over 5, 15, and 60 minute intervals
Review LDAP bind logs on the directory server for patterns matching Nexus Dashboard proxied lookups
Retain authentication telemetry for at least 90 days to support retrospective hunts once Cisco publishes additional indicators

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-20150

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the fixed Cisco Nexus Dashboard release identified in advisory cisco-sa-nd-unenum-2xFFh472 for your deployed version
Restrict network access to the Nexus Dashboard management interface using access control lists that permit only authorized administrator subnets
Audit LDAP-integrated accounts and disable or rename service accounts using predictable naming conventions
Enforce strong password policies and multi-factor authentication on all LDAP accounts that can authenticate to Nexus Dashboard

Patch Information

Cisco has released fixed software addressing CVE-2025-20150. Administrators should consult the Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-nd-unenum-2xFFh472 to identify the appropriate fixed release for their installed Nexus Dashboard version. No workaround is provided by Cisco; upgrading is the required remediation. Verify contract entitlements and schedule upgrades through standard change management before deploying to production fabrics.

Workarounds

No official workaround exists; Cisco recommends upgrading to a fixed release
Limit exposure by placing the Nexus Dashboard management interface behind a jump host or bastion accessible only over VPN
Deploy rate limiting or a web application firewall in front of the authentication endpoint to slow enumeration attempts
Rotate any LDAP account names that appear in public directories or historical breach data to reduce enumeration value

bash

# Example ACL restricting management access to an admin subnet
# Apply on the upstream firewall or router, not on Nexus Dashboard itself
access-list ND_MGMT permit tcp 10.10.50.0/24 host <nd_mgmt_ip> eq 443
access-list ND_MGMT deny   tcp any host <nd_mgmt_ip> eq 443 log
access-list ND_MGMT permit ip any any