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CVE-2023-20081

Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, Firepower Threat Defense Software, IOS Software, and IOS XE Software IPv6 DHCP (DHCPv6) Client Denial of Service Vulnerability

6.8 Medium

A vulnerability in the IPv6 DHCP (DHCPv6) client module of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software, Cisco IOS Software, and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of DHCPv6 messages. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted DHCPv6 messages to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the device to reload, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to either control the DHCPv6 server or be in a man-in-the-middle position.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

0.68%Up 0.6 points since Mar 24, 2023
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 6.8

Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, Firepower Threat Defense Software, IOS Software, and IOS XE Software IPv6 DHCP (DHCPv6) Client Denial of Service Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the IPv6 DHCP (DHCPv6) client module of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software, Cisco IOS Software, and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of DHCPv6 messages. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted DHCPv6 messages to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the device to reload, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to either control the DHCPv6 server or be in a man-in-the-middle position.

Record
CVE-2023-20081
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-122
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-24260 6.8

A vulnerability in the IPv6 DHCP (DHCPv6) client module of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software, Cisco IOS Software, and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of DHCPv6 messages. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted DHCPv6 messages to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the device to reload, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to either control the DHCPv6 server or be in a man-in-the-middle position.

Record
EUVD-2023-24260
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-h5mj-448h-fhr2 5.9

A vulnerability in the IPv6 DHCP (DHCPv6) client module of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA...

A vulnerability in the IPv6 DHCP (DHCPv6) client module of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software, Cisco IOS Software, and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of DHCPv6 messages. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted DHCPv6 messages to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the device to reload, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to either control the DHCPv6 server or be in a man-in-the-middle position.

Record
GHSA-h5mj-448h-fhr2
CVSS 3.1
5.9 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-122, CWE-787
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 6.8

A vulnerability in the IPv6 DHCP (DHCPv6) client module of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software, Cisco IOS Software, and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of DHCPv6 messages. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted DHCPv6 messages to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the device to reload, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to either control the DHCPv6 server or be in a man-in-the-middle position.

Record
CVE-2023-20081
CVSS 3.1
6.8 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 3.1
5.9 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-122, CWE-787
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2023-20081 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.8) in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, published March 23, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.68%, the 52nd percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

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