CVE-2025-20314
MediumCVSS 6.7Exploitation Probability (EPSS)
Low risk4th percentile - higher than 4% of all known CVEs
Summary
A vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to execute persistent code at boot time and break the chain of trust. This is due to improper validation of software packages. An attacker could place a crafted file in a specific location on the device.
Risk Assessment
An attacker can install persistent code that runs at boot, bypassing key security features and taking control of the device.
Recommendation
Update Cisco IOS XE to the latest patched version and secure physical access to devices.
Other vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS XE
See all- CVE-2017-12230High
A vulnerability in the web-based user interface of Cisco IOS XE 16.2 could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to elevate their privileges on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to incorrect default permission settings for new users created using the web UI.
- CVE-2016-6378High
Cisco IOS XE versions 3.1 through 3.17 and 16.1 through 16.2 are vulnerable to an attack that can cause device reload via crafted ICMP packets requiring NAT.
- CVE-2016-6386High
Cisco IOS XE versions 3.1 through 3.17 and 16.1 on 64-bit platforms allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (data-structure corruption and device reload) via fragmented IPv4 packets.
- CVE-2015-6282High
Cisco IOS XE 2.x and 3.x before 3.10.6S, 3.11.xS through 3.13.xS before 3.13.3S, and 3.14.xS through 3.15.xS before 3.15.1S are vulnerable to an attack that can lead to denial of service by causing device reload. Attackers can exploit IPv4 packets that require NAT and MPLS actions.
- CVE-2015-0645High
The Layer 4 Redirect (L4R) feature in Cisco IOS XE 2.x and 3.x before 3.10.4S, 3.11 before 3.11.3S, 3.12 before 3.12.2S, 3.13 before 3.13.1S, 3.14 before 3.14.0S, and 3.15 before 3.15.0S allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device reload) via malformed IPv4 or IPv6 packets.
- CVE-2015-0644High
AppNav in Cisco IOS XE versions 3.8 through 3.10 before 3.10.3S, 3.11 before 3.11.3S, 3.12 before 3.12.1S, 3.13 before 3.13.0S, 3.14 before 3.14.0S, and 3.15 before 3.15.0S allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (device reload) via a crafted TCP packet, aka Bug ID CSCuo53622.
- CVE-2015-0641High
Cisco IOS XE versions 2.x and 3.x before 3.9.0S, 3.10 before 3.10.0S, 3.11 before 3.11.0S, 3.12 before 3.12.0S, 3.13 before 3.13.0S, 3.14 before 3.14.0S, and 3.15 before 3.15.0S are vulnerable to a denial of service attack that can cause device reload via crafted IPv6 packets. This vulnerability is known as Bug ID CSCub68073.
- CVE-2015-0639High
The Common Flow Table (CFT) feature in Cisco IOS XE versions 3.6 and 3.7 before 3.7.1S and in versions 3.8 to 3.15 before respective updates allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device reload) via malformed IPv6 packets with IPv4 UDP encapsulation.
- CVE-2017-6663MediumActively exploited
A vulnerability in the Autonomic Networking feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software allows an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause autonomic nodes to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS). Known affected releases include Denali-16.2.1 and Denali-16.3.1.
- CVE-2025-20338Medium
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker with administrative privileges to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of an affected device. This is due to insufficient validation of user arguments passed to specific CLI commands. An attacker could log in with level 15 credentials and use crafted commands.
Original NVD description (English source)
A vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to an affected device to execute persistent code at boot time and break the chain of trust. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of software packages. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing a crafted file into a specific location on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute persistent code on the underlying operating system. Because this vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass a major security feature of a device, Cisco has raised the Security Impact Rating (SIR) of this advisory from Medium to High.
Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS