CVE-2023-20063
Cisco Cisco Firepower Threat Defense Software and Cisco Firepower Management Center Code Injection Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the inter-device communication mechanisms between devices that are running Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software and devices that are running Cisco Firepower Management (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root permissions on the underlying operating system of an affected device.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by accessing the expert mode of an affected device and submitting specific commands to a connected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FMC device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FTD device. Alternatively, a successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FTD device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FMC 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
8.2
Cisco Cisco Firepower Threat Defense Software and Cisco Firepower Management Center Code Injection Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the inter-device communication mechanisms between devices that are running Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software and devices that are running Cisco Firepower Management (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root permissions on the underlying operating system of an affected device.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by accessing the expert mode of an affected device and submitting specific commands to a connected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FMC device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FTD device. Alternatively, a successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FTD device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FMC device.
- Record
CVE-2023-20063- CVSS 3.1
- 8.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-94
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-24242
8.2
A vulnerability in the inter-device communication mechanisms between devices that are running Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software and devices that are running Cisco Firepower Management (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root permissions on the underlying operating system of an affected device.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by accessing the expert mode of an affected device and submitting specific commands to a connected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FMC device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FTD device. Alternatively, a successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FTD device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FMC device.
- Record
EUVD-2023-24242- CVSS 3.1
- 8.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-q7p5-7677-gx8j
8.2
A vulnerability in the inter-device communication mechanisms between devices that are running...
A vulnerability in the inter-device communication mechanisms between devices that are running Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software and devices that are running Cisco Firepower Management (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root permissions on the underlying operating system of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by accessing the expert mode of an affected device and submitting specific commands to a connected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FMC device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FTD device. Alternatively, a successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FTD device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FMC device.
- Record
GHSA-q7p5-7677-gx8j- CVSS 3.1
- 8.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-20, CWE-94
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.2
A vulnerability in the inter-device communication mechanisms between devices that are running Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software and devices that are running Cisco Firepower Management (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root permissions on the underlying operating system of an affected device.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by accessing the expert mode of an affected device and submitting specific commands to a connected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FMC device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FTD device. Alternatively, a successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FTD device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FMC device.
- Record
CVE-2023-20063- CVSS 3.1
- 8.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-94, CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-20063 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.2) in Cisco Firepower Management Center, published November 1, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.46%, the 39th percentile. No source names a fixed version.