CVE-2019-12649
Cisco IOS XE Software Digital Signature Verification Bypass Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the Image Verification feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on an affected device. The vulnerability exists because, under certain circumstances, an affected device can be configured to not verify the digital signatures of system image files during the boot process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by abusing a specific feature that is part of the device boot process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on the targeted device.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.7
Cisco IOS XE Software Digital Signature Verification Bypass Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the Image Verification feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on an affected device. The vulnerability exists because, under certain circumstances, an affected device can be configured to not verify the digital signatures of system image files during the boot process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by abusing a specific feature that is part of the device boot process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on the targeted device.
- Record
CVE-2019-12649- CVSS 3.0
- 6.7 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-347
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-4240
6.7
A vulnerability in the Image Verification feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on an affected device. The vulnerability exists because, under certain circumstances, an affected device can be configured to not verify the digital signatures of system image files during the boot process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by abusing a specific feature that is part of the device boot process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on the targeted device.
- Record
EUVD-2019-4240- CVSS 3.0
- 6.7 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-p6rv-q5px-g7g8
6.7
A vulnerability in the Image Verification feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an...
A vulnerability in the Image Verification feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on an affected device. The vulnerability exists because, under certain circumstances, an affected device can be configured to not verify the digital signatures of system image files during the boot process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by abusing a specific feature that is part of the device boot process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on the targeted device.
- Record
GHSA-p6rv-q5px-g7g8- CVSS 3.1
- 6.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-347
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
6.7
A vulnerability in the Image Verification feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on an affected device. The vulnerability exists because, under certain circumstances, an affected device can be configured to not verify the digital signatures of system image files during the boot process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by abusing a specific feature that is part of the device boot process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on the targeted device.
- Record
CVE-2019-12649- CVSS 3.1
- 6.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.0
- 6.7 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.2 High
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-347
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| facts | ||
| 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-2019-12649 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.7) in Cisco Ios, published September 25, 2019. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.24%, the 14th percentile. No source names a fixed version.