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CVE-2023-20168

A vulnerability in TACACS+ and RADIUS remote authentication for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow...

7.1 High

A vulnerability in TACACS+ and RADIUS remote authentication for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, local attacker to cause an affected device to unexpectedly reload. This vulnerability is due to incorrect input validation when processing an authentication attempt if the directed request option is enabled for TACACS+ or RADIUS. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by entering a crafted string at the login prompt of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to unexpectedly reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

0.24%Up 0.2 points since Aug 24, 2023
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.1

A vulnerability in TACACS+ and RADIUS remote authentication for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, local attacker to cause an affected device to unexpectedly reload. This vulnerability is due to incorrect input validation when processing an authentication attempt if the directed request option is enabled for TACACS+ or RADIUS. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by entering a crafted string at the login prompt of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to unexpectedly reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Record
CVE-2023-20168
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-120
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-24347 7.1

A vulnerability in TACACS+ and RADIUS remote authentication for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, local attacker to cause an affected device to unexpectedly reload. This vulnerability is due to incorrect input validation when processing an authentication attempt if the directed request option is enabled for TACACS+ or RADIUS. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by entering a crafted string at the login prompt of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to unexpectedly reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Record
EUVD-2023-24347
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-fgh5-3xv7-c973 7.1

A vulnerability in TACACS+ and RADIUS remote authentication for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow...

A vulnerability in TACACS+ and RADIUS remote authentication for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, local attacker to cause an affected device to unexpectedly reload. This vulnerability is due to incorrect input validation when processing an authentication attempt if the directed request option is enabled for TACACS+ or RADIUS. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by entering a crafted string at the login prompt of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to unexpectedly reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Record
GHSA-fgh5-3xv7-c973
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-20, CWE-120
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 7.1

A vulnerability in TACACS+ and RADIUS remote authentication for Cisco NX-OS Software could allow an unauthenticated, local attacker to cause an affected device to unexpectedly reload. This vulnerability is due to incorrect input validation when processing an authentication attempt if the directed request option is enabled for TACACS+ or RADIUS. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by entering a crafted string at the login prompt of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to unexpectedly reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Record
CVE-2023-20168
CVSS 3.1
7.1 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 3.1
6.5 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-120, CWE-20
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliases, publishedEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD

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

In short

CVE-2023-20168 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.1) in Cisco Nx-os Software, published August 23, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.24%, the 14th percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

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