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iOS CVE-2023-20186

CRITICAL
Improper Authorization (CWE-285)
2023-09-27 psirt@cisco.com
9.1
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
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Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Authorization verification
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Defense Evasion

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 9.1 (CRITICAL). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction not required.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network. Successful exploitation could compromise the critical-severity affected system.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: CRITICAL severity.
No patch listed yet 0.6% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

A vulnerability in the Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to bypass command. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.1), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.

RemediationAI

No vendor patch is available at time of analysis. Monitor vendor advisories for updates. Apply vendor patches when available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring as interim mitigations.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-285. A vulnerability in the Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to bypass command authorization and copy files to or from the file system of an affected device using the Secure Copy Protocol (SCP). This vulnerability is due to incorrect processing of SCP commands in AAA command authorization checks. An attacker with valid credentials and level 15 privileges could exploit this vulnerability by using SCP to connect to an affected device from an external machine. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain or change the configuration of the affected device and put files on or retrieve files from the affected device. Affected products include: Cisco Ios, Cisco Ios Xe.

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 9.1 CRITICAL
AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
High
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionNVD

A vulnerability in the Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to bypass command authorization and copy files to or from the file system of an affected device using the Secure Copy Protocol (SCP). This vulnerability is due to incorrect processing of SCP commands in AAA command authorization checks. An attacker with valid credentials and level 15 privileges could exploit this vulnerability by using SCP to connect to an affected device from an external machine. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain or change the configuration of the affected device and put files on or retrieve files from the affected device.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.6%
Top 56% exploitable
Data Quality
2 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity CRITICAL
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.6%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
CRITICAL severity
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

47
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +46
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(58\)ex:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(58\)ey:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(58\)ey1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(58\)ey2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(58\)ez:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(58\)se:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(58\)se1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(58\)se2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.2\(60\)ez11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
+ 976 more

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