CVE-2022-20769
Cisco Wireless LAN Controller AireOS Software FIPS Mode Denial of Service Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the authentication functionality of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) AireOS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient error validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted packets to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the wireless LAN controller to crash, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: This vulnerability affects only devices that have Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) mode enabled.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Adjacent network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Cisco Wireless LAN Controller AireOS Software FIPS Mode Denial of Service Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the authentication functionality of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) AireOS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient error validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted packets to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the wireless LAN controller to crash, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: This vulnerability affects only devices that have Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) mode enabled.
- Record
CVE-2022-20769- CVSS 3.1
- 7.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-26019
A vulnerability in the authentication functionality of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) AireOS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient error validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted packets to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the wireless LAN controller to crash, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: This vulnerability affects only devices that have Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) mode enabled.
- Record
EUVD-2022-26019- CVSS 3.1
- 7.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-3phq-3jhx-rrhw
A vulnerability in the authentication functionality of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) AireOS...
A vulnerability in the authentication functionality of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) AireOS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient error validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted packets to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the wireless LAN controller to crash, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: This vulnerability affects only devices that have Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) mode enabled.
- Record
GHSA-3phq-3jhx-rrhw- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
A vulnerability in the authentication functionality of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) AireOS Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient error validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted packets to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the wireless LAN controller to crash, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: This vulnerability affects only devices that have Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) mode enabled.
- Record
CVE-2022-20769- CVSS 3.1
- 7.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-787
- 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-2022-20769 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.4) in Cisco Wireless Lan Controller (wlc), published September 30, 2022. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.52%, the 44th percentile. No source names a fixed version.