Improper privilege management in Cisco IOS XE Software
Priority MEDIUM 42CWE-552Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Information disclosure, Privilege escalation
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-552 and CWE-269.
Summary
A vulnerability in the on-device application development workflow feature for the Cisco IOx application hosting infrastructure in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to access the underlying operating system as the root user. This vulnerability exists because Docker containers with the privileged runtime option are not blocked when they are in application development mode. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by using the Docker CLI to access an affected device. The application development workflow is meant to be used only on development systems and not in production systems.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00863 58th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
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 | Cisco IOS XE Software | 17.3.1; 17.3.2; 17.3.3; 17.3.1a; 17.3.1w; 17.3.2a; 17.3.1x; 17.3.1z; 17.3.4; 17.3.5; 17.3.4a; 17.3.6; 17.3.4b; 17.3.4c; 17.3.5a; 17.3.5b; 17.3.7; 17.4.1; 17.4.2; 17.4.1a; 17.4.1b; 17.4.2a; 17.5.1; 17.5.1a; 17.5.1b; 17.5.1c; 17.6.1; 17.6.2; 17.6.1w; 17.6.1a; 17.6.1x; 17.6.3; 17.6.1y; 17.6.1z; 17.6.3a; 17.6.4; 17.6.1z1; 17.6.5; 17.6.5a; 17.7.1; 17.7.1a; 17.7.1b; 17.7.2; 17.10.1; 17.10.1a; 17.10.1b; 17.8.1; 17.8.1a; 17.9.1; 17.9.1w; 17.9.2; 17.9.1a; 17.9.1x; 17.9.1y; 17.9.3; 17.9.2a; 17.9.1x1; 17.9.3a; 17.9.4; 17.9.1y1; 17.9.4a; 17.11.1; 17.11.1a; 17.12.1; 17.12.1a; 17.11.99SW | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Cisco IOS XE Software VendorCisco Affected 17.3.1; 17.3.2; 17.3.3; 17.3.1a; 17.3.1w; 17.3.2a; 17.3.1x; 17.3.1z; 17.3.4; 17.3.5; 17.3.4a; 17.3.6; 17.3.4b; 17.3.4c; 17.3.5a; 17.3.5b; 17.3.7; 17.4.1; 17.4.2; 17.4.1a; 17.4.1b; 17.4.2a; 17.5.1; 17.5.1a; 17.5.1b; 17.5.1c; 17.6.1; 17.6.2; 17.6.1w; 17.6.1a; 17.6.1x; 17.6.3; 17.6.1y; 17.6.1z; 17.6.3a; 17.6.4; 17.6.1z1; 17.6.5; 17.6.5a; 17.7.1; 17.7.1a; 17.7.1b; 17.7.2; 17.10.1; 17.10.1a; 17.10.1b; 17.8.1; 17.8.1a; 17.9.1; 17.9.1w; 17.9.2; 17.9.1a; 17.9.1x; 17.9.1y; 17.9.3; 17.9.2a; 17.9.1x1; 17.9.3a; 17.9.4; 17.9.1y1; 17.9.4a; 17.11.1; 17.11.1a; 17.12.1; 17.12.1a; 17.11.99SW Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 20
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 17.3.1 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ie3200_rugged_switch:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ie3300_rugged_switch:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ie3400_rugged_switch:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1101:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1821-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1831-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1833-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1835-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir8140h-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
- cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 17.3.1 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ie3200_rugged_switch:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ie3300_rugged_switch:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ie3400_rugged_switch:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1101:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1821-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1831-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1833-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir1835-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir8140h-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
Show 10 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir8140h-p-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir8340-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-24t-con-a:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-24t-con-e:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-24t-ncp-a:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-24t-ncp-e:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-con-a:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-con-e:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-ncp-a:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-ncp-e:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Cisco |
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir8140h-p-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_ir8340-k9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-24t-con-a:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-24t-con-e:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-24t-ncp-a:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-24t-ncp-e:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-con-a:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-con-e:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-ncp-a:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:h:cisco:ess-3300-ncp-e:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* 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-2023-20235
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-j6h7-r25f-wgww
- 2026-10-05 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
Advisory 1
More Cisco Ios Xe vulnerabilities
- TI-2023-06904 Cisco is providing an update for the ongoing investigation into observed exploitation of… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2018-00122 Memory corruption in Cisco IOS and IOS XE KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2017-02977 Improper input validation in Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2018-00135 Memory corruption in Cisco IOS, IOS XE, and IOS XR KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2017-04498 Memory corruption in Cisco IOS KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2017-04497 Memory corruption in Cisco IOS XE Software KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
- CVE-2023-20235 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-20235 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-j6h7-r25f-wgww · 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