Improper input validation in Cisco Virtualized Packet Core-Distributed Instance
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
A vulnerability in the ingress packet processing functionality of the Cisco Virtualized Packet Core-Distributed Instance (VPC-DI) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause both control function (CF) instances on an affected system to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to insufficient handling of user-supplied data by the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending malicious traffic to the internal distributed instance (DI) network address on an affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause an unhandled error condition on the affected system, which would cause the CF instances to reload and consequently cause the entire VPC to reload, resulting in the disconnection of all subscribers and a DoS condition on the affected system. This vulnerability affects Cisco Virtualized Packet Core-Distributed Instance (VPC-DI) Software N4.0 through N5.5 with the Cisco StarOS operating system 19.2 through 21.3. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCve17656.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Cisco Virtualized Packet Core-Distributed Instance | Cisco Virtualized Packet Core-Distributed Instance | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Cisco Virtualized Packet Core-Distributed Instance Vendor— Affected Cisco Virtualized Packet Core-Distributed Instance Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 10
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5000_firmware:21.1.v0.66836:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 21.1.v0.66836 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5000_firmware:21.1.v7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 21.1.v7 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5000_firmware:21.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 21.3.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5000_firmware:21.6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 21.6.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asr_5000:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5500_firmware:21.1.v0.66836:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 21.1.v0.66836 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5500_firmware:21.1.v7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 21.1.v7 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5500_firmware:21.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 21.3.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5500_firmware:21.6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 21.6.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asr_5500:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
- cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5000_firmware:21.1.v0.66836:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 21.1.v0.66836 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5000_firmware:21.1.v7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 21.1.v7 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5000_firmware:21.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 21.3.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5000_firmware:21.6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 21.6.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asr_5000:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5500_firmware:21.1.v0.66836:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 21.1.v0.66836 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5500_firmware:21.1.v7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 21.1.v7 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5500_firmware:21.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 21.3.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:o:cisco:asr_5500_firmware:21.6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 21.6.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asr_5500:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2018-0117
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q3ch-44pq-833r
References
More Cisco Asr 5000 Firmware vulnerabilities
- TI-2018-00181 Command injection in Cisco StarOS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.7
Sources
- CVE-2018-0117 · CVE Program
- CVE-2018-0117 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q3ch-44pq-833r · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences