CVE-2020-3503
Cisco IOS XE Software Guest Shell Unauthorized File System Access Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the file system permissions of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to obtain read and write access to critical configuration or system files. The vulnerability is due to insufficient file system permissions on an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting to an affected device's guest shell, and accessing or modifying restricted files. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view or modify restricted information or configurations that are normally not accessible to system administrators.
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
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.0
Cisco IOS XE Software Guest Shell Unauthorized File System Access Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the file system permissions of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to obtain read and write access to critical configuration or system files. The vulnerability is due to insufficient file system permissions on an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting to an affected device's guest shell, and accessing or modifying restricted files. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view or modify restricted information or configurations that are normally not accessible to system administrators.
- Record
CVE-2020-3503- CVSS 3.1
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-284
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-24774
6.0
A vulnerability in the file system permissions of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to obtain read and write access to critical configuration or system files. The vulnerability is due to insufficient file system permissions on an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting to an affected device's guest shell, and accessing or modifying restricted files. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view or modify restricted information or configurations that are normally not accessible to system administrators.
- Record
EUVD-2020-24774- CVSS 3.1
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-328f-6h62-x2vm
6.0
A vulnerability in the file system permissions of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an...
A vulnerability in the file system permissions of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to obtain read and write access to critical configuration or system files. The vulnerability is due to insufficient file system permissions on an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting to an affected device's guest shell, and accessing or modifying restricted files. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view or modify restricted information or configurations that are normally not accessible to system administrators.
- Record
GHSA-328f-6h62-x2vm- CVSS 3.1
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-284, CWE-732
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
6.0
A vulnerability in the file system permissions of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to obtain read and write access to critical configuration or system files. The vulnerability is due to insufficient file system permissions on an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting to an affected device's guest shell, and accessing or modifying restricted files. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view or modify restricted information or configurations that are normally not accessible to system administrators.
- Record
CVE-2020-3503- CVSS 3.1
- 6.0 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 3.6 Low
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-284, CWE-732
- 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-2020-3503 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.0) in Cisco Ios Xe Software, published September 24, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.28%, the 20th percentile. No source names a fixed version.