CVE-2020-3423
Cisco IOS XE Software Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the implementation of the Lua interpreter that is integrated in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux operating system (OS) of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient restrictions on Lua function calls within the context of user-supplied Lua scripts. An attacker with valid administrative credentials could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a malicious Lua script. When this file is processed, an exploitable buffer overflow condition could occur. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux OS of the affected 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
- Low
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
5.1
Cisco IOS XE Software Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the implementation of the Lua interpreter that is integrated in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux operating system (OS) of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient restrictions on Lua function calls within the context of user-supplied Lua scripts. An attacker with valid administrative credentials could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a malicious Lua script. When this file is processed, an exploitable buffer overflow condition could occur. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux OS of the affected device.
- Record
CVE-2020-3423- CVSS 3.1
- 5.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-119
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-24694
5.1
A vulnerability in the implementation of the Lua interpreter that is integrated in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux operating system (OS) of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient restrictions on Lua function calls within the context of user-supplied Lua scripts. An attacker with valid administrative credentials could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a malicious Lua script. When this file is processed, an exploitable buffer overflow condition could occur. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux OS of the affected device.
- Record
EUVD-2020-24694- CVSS 3.1
- 5.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-g8rg-fgr5-jxrm
6.7
A vulnerability in the implementation of the Lua interpreter that is integrated in Cisco IOS XE...
A vulnerability in the implementation of the Lua interpreter that is integrated in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux operating system (OS) of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient restrictions on Lua function calls within the context of user-supplied Lua scripts. An attacker with valid administrative credentials could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a malicious Lua script. When this file is processed, an exploitable buffer overflow condition could occur. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux OS of the affected device.
- Record
GHSA-g8rg-fgr5-jxrm- 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-119
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
5.1
A vulnerability in the implementation of the Lua interpreter that is integrated in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux operating system (OS) of an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient restrictions on Lua function calls within the context of user-supplied Lua scripts. An attacker with valid administrative credentials could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a malicious Lua script. When this file is processed, an exploitable buffer overflow condition could occur. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the underlying Linux OS of the affected device.
- Record
CVE-2020-3423- CVSS 3.1
- 5.1 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N - 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 2.0
- 7.2 High
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-119
- 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-2020-3423 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.1) in Cisco Ios Xe, published September 24, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.39%, the 32nd percentile. No source names a fixed version.