CVE-2019-12643
Cisco REST API Container for IOS XE Software Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the Cisco REST API virtual service container for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on the managed Cisco IOS XE device. The vulnerability is due to an improper check performed by the area of code that manages the REST API authentication service. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting malicious HTTP requests to the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain the token-id of an authenticated user. This token-id could be used to bypass authentication and execute privileged actions through the interface of the REST API virtual service container on the affected Cisco IOS XE device. The REST API interface is not enabled by default and must be installed and activated separately on IOS XE devices. See the Details section for more information.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
10.0
Cisco REST API Container for IOS XE Software Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the Cisco REST API virtual service container for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on the managed Cisco IOS XE device. The vulnerability is due to an improper check performed by the area of code that manages the REST API authentication service. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting malicious HTTP requests to the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain the token-id of an authenticated user. This token-id could be used to bypass authentication and execute privileged actions through the interface of the REST API virtual service container on the affected Cisco IOS XE device. The REST API interface is not enabled by default and must be installed and activated separately on IOS XE devices. See the Details section for more information.
- Record
CVE-2019-12643- CVSS 3.0
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-4234
10.0
A vulnerability in the Cisco REST API virtual service container for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on the managed Cisco IOS XE device. The vulnerability is due to an improper check performed by the area of code that manages the REST API authentication service. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting malicious HTTP requests to the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain the token-id of an authenticated user. This token-id could be used to bypass authentication and execute privileged actions through the interface of the REST API virtual service container on the affected Cisco IOS XE device. The REST API interface is not enabled by default and must be installed and activated separately on IOS XE devices. See the Details section for more information.
- Record
EUVD-2019-4234- CVSS 3.0
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-9j8q-456x-95cx
10.0
A vulnerability in the Cisco REST API virtual service container for Cisco IOS XE Software could...
A vulnerability in the Cisco REST API virtual service container for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on the managed Cisco IOS XE device. The vulnerability is due to an improper check performed by the area of code that manages the REST API authentication service. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting malicious HTTP requests to the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain the token-id of an authenticated user. This token-id could be used to bypass authentication and execute privileged actions through the interface of the REST API virtual service container on the affected Cisco IOS XE device. The REST API interface is not enabled by default and must be installed and activated separately on IOS XE devices. See the Details section for more information.
- Record
GHSA-9j8q-456x-95cx- CVSS 3.0
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
10.0
A vulnerability in the Cisco REST API virtual service container for Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication on the managed Cisco IOS XE device. The vulnerability is due to an improper check performed by the area of code that manages the REST API authentication service. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting malicious HTTP requests to the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain the token-id of an authenticated user. This token-id could be used to bypass authentication and execute privileged actions through the interface of the REST API virtual service container on the affected Cisco IOS XE device. The REST API interface is not enabled by default and must be installed and activated separately on IOS XE devices. See the Details section for more information.
- Record
CVE-2019-12643- CVSS 3.0
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 10.0 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2019-12643 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 10.0) in Cisco Ios Xe Software, published August 28, 2019. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 5.32%, the 92nd percentile. No source names a fixed version.