Cisco’s Nexus 9000 series switches in ACI mode have a flaw that can allow attackers to read and modify encrypted traffic. Credit: Reuters / Sergio Perez A high-severity flaw in Cisco's data center switching gear could allow threat actors to read and modify encrypted traffic, according to the company. On Wednesday, Cisco issued a security advisory for the vulnerability in the application-centric infrastructure (ACI) multisite CloudSec feature within a family of its data center switches. "This vulnerability is due to an issue with the implementation of the ciphers that are used by the CloudSec encryption feature on affected switches," the company said in the advisory. The vulnerability, dubbed CVE-2023-20185, has been assigned a base CVSS score of 7.4. Nexus 9000 series is affected by the vulnerability This vulnerability impacts Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Fabric Switches operating in ACI mode with versions 14.0 and onward. It specifically affects switches within a multisite setup and having the CloudSec encryption feature activated. The Cisco Nexus 9000 series is a family of modular and fixed-form data center switches, designed to meet diverse networking needs in modern data centers. The series runs on two different operating systems -- Cisco NX-OS and Cisco ACI. "Cisco has confirmed that this vulnerability does not affect Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode," the advisory added. While Cisco NX-OS switches are more traditional and provide a comprehensive set of networking features, the switches running Cisco ACI are part of Cisco's software-defined networking (SDN) solution and offer centralized policy-based automation. No fixes yet Cisco has yet to release software updates to address the vulnerability and there are no current workarounds either, the company said. "Customers who are currently using the Cisco ACI Multi-Site CloudSec encryption feature for the Cisco Nexus 9332C and Nexus 9364C Switches and the Cisco Nexus N9K-X9736C-FX Line Card are advised to disable it and to contact their support organization to evaluate alternative options," the advisory added. Cisco also detailed in the advisory the steps to determine the status of the CloudSec feature on these devices. Related content news UK government plans 2,500 new tech recruits by 2025 with focus on cybersecurity New apprenticeships and talent programmes will support recruitment for in-demand roles such as cybersecurity technologists and software developers By Michael Hill Sep 29, 2023 4 mins Education Industry Education Industry Education Industry news UK data regulator orders end to spreadsheet FOI requests after serious data breaches The Information Commissioner’s Office says alternative approaches should be used to publish freedom of information data to mitigate risks to personal information By Michael Hill Sep 29, 2023 3 mins Government Cybercrime Data and Information Security feature Cybersecurity startups to watch for in 2023 These startups are jumping in where most established security vendors have yet to go. By CSO Staff Sep 29, 2023 19 mins CSO and CISO Security news analysis Companies are already feeling the pressure from upcoming US SEC cyber rules New Securities and Exchange Commission cyber incident reporting rules don't kick in until December, but experts say they highlight the need for greater collaboration between CISOs and the C-suite By Cynthia Brumfield Sep 28, 2023 6 mins Regulation Data Breach Financial Services Industry Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe