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CVE-2020-3403

Cisco IOS XE Software Command Injection Vulnerability

6.7 Medium

CVE-2020-3403 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.7) in Cisco Ios Xe Software, published September 24, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.38%, the 32nd percentile. No source names a fixed version.

What does this mean?
Severity
6.7 MediumCVSS 3.0, CVE List
Exploit chance
0.38%EPSS, 32nd percentile
Exploitation
None knownNot on CISA’s or ENISA’s lists
Fixed in
No fix listedNo source names one

Description

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject a command to the underlying operating system that will execute with root privileges upon the next reboot of the device. The authenticated user must have privileged EXEC permissions on the device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient protection of values passed to a script that executes during device startup. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by writing values to a specific file. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands with root privileges each time the affected device is restarted.

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

0.38%Unchanged since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

Affected products

What each source reports

CVE List Score used6.7

Cisco IOS XE Software Command Injection Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject a command to the underlying operating system that will execute with root privileges upon the next reboot of the device. The authenticated user must have privileged EXEC permissions on the device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient protection of values passed to a script that executes during device startup. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by writing values to a specific file. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands with root privileges each time the affected device is restarted.

Record
CVE-2020-3403
CVSS 3.0
6.7 MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-78
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-246746.7

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject a command to the underlying operating system that will execute with root privileges upon the next reboot of the device. The authenticated user must have privileged EXEC permissions on the device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient protection of values passed to a script that executes during device startup. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by writing values to a specific file. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands with root privileges each time the affected device is restarted.

Record
EUVD-2020-24674
CVSS 3.0
6.7 MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-jwvq-qvwv-pjcm7.8

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker...

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject a command to the underlying operating system that will execute with root privileges upon the next reboot of the device. The authenticated user must have privileged EXEC permissions on the device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient protection of values passed to a script that executes during device startup. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by writing values to a specific file. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands with root privileges each time the affected device is restarted.

Record
GHSA-jwvq-qvwv-pjcm
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-78
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD7.8

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to inject a command to the underlying operating system that will execute with root privileges upon the next reboot of the device. The authenticated user must have privileged EXEC permissions on the device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient protection of values passed to a script that executes during device startup. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by writing values to a specific file. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands with root privileges each time the affected device is restarted.

Record
CVE-2020-3403
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 3.0
6.7 MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
7.2 HighAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Weakness
CWE-78
Updated
2026-11-02

History

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

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

References

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