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
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
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 Medium
CVSS: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 Medium
CVSS: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 Medium
CVSS: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 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 5.9 Medium
CVSS: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
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE 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.