CVE-2020-3238
Cisco IOx Application Framework Arbitrary File Creation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the Cisco Application Framework component of the Cisco IOx application environment could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to write or modify arbitrary files in the virtual instance that is running on the affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of user-supplied application packages. An attacker who can upload a malicious package within Cisco IOx could exploit the vulnerability to modify arbitrary files. The impacts of a successful exploit are limited to the scope of the virtual instance and do not affect the device that is hosting Cisco IOx.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Cisco IOx Application Framework Arbitrary File Creation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the Cisco Application Framework component of the Cisco IOx application environment could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to write or modify arbitrary files in the virtual instance that is running on the affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of user-supplied application packages. An attacker who can upload a malicious package within Cisco IOx could exploit the vulnerability to modify arbitrary files. The impacts of a successful exploit are limited to the scope of the virtual instance and do not affect the device that is hosting Cisco IOx.
- Record
CVE-2020-3238- CVSS 3.0
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-24509
A vulnerability in the Cisco Application Framework component of the Cisco IOx application environment could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to write or modify arbitrary files in the virtual instance that is running on the affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of user-supplied application packages. An attacker who can upload a malicious package within Cisco IOx could exploit the vulnerability to modify arbitrary files. The impacts of a successful exploit are limited to the scope of the virtual instance and do not affect the device that is hosting Cisco IOx.
- Record
EUVD-2020-24509- CVSS 3.0
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-vwph-w88h-2p73
A vulnerability in the Cisco Application Framework component of the Cisco IOx application...
A vulnerability in the Cisco Application Framework component of the Cisco IOx application environment could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to write or modify arbitrary files in the virtual instance that is running on the affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of user-supplied application packages. An attacker who can upload a malicious package within Cisco IOx could exploit the vulnerability to modify arbitrary files. The impacts of a successful exploit are limited to the scope of the virtual instance and do not affect the device that is hosting Cisco IOx.
- Record
GHSA-vwph-w88h-2p73- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
A vulnerability in the Cisco Application Framework component of the Cisco IOx application environment could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to write or modify arbitrary files in the virtual instance that is running on the affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of user-supplied application packages. An attacker who can upload a malicious package within Cisco IOx could exploit the vulnerability to modify arbitrary files. The impacts of a successful exploit are limited to the scope of the virtual instance and do not affect the device that is hosting Cisco IOx.
- Record
CVE-2020-3238- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.0
- 8.1 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 5.5 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-20
- 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-2020-3238 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.1) in Cisco Iox, published June 3, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.23%, the 69th percentile. No source names a fixed version.