{"id":"CVE-2018-0171","aliases":["EUVD-2018-0994","GHSA-4w6g-87mh-x63x"],"status":"published","title":"A vulnerability in the Smart Install feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software...","description":"A vulnerability in the Smart Install feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to trigger a reload of an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition, or to execute arbitrary code on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of packet data. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted Smart Install message to an affected device on TCP port 4786. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a buffer overflow on the affected device, which could have the following impacts: Triggering a reload of the device, Allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device, Causing an indefinite loop on the affected device that triggers a watchdog crash. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg76186.","severity":{"version":"3.1","score":9.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"critical","assessor":"primary","from":"nvd"},"epss":{"day":"2026-11-08","score":0.99479,"percentile":0.99943,"model":"v2026.06.15"},"facts":{"in_kev":true,"known_exploited":true,"public_exploit":true,"fix_available":false},"cwes":["CWE-20","CWE-787"],"published":"2018-03-28T22:00:00Z","modified":"2026-06-17T01:29:59Z","kev":{"date_added":"2021-11-03","due_date":"2022-05-03","required_action":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","known_ransomware_use":"Unknown"},"exploitation":[{"source":"euvd","since":"2021-11-03"},{"source":"kev","since":"2021-11-03"}],"exploits":[{"source":"exploitdb","id":"EDB-44451","title":"Cisco Smart Install - Crash (PoC)","type":"dos","platform":"hardware","date":"2018-03-29","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44451"},{"source":"pocgithub","id":"AlrikRr/Cisco-Smart-Exploit","title":"AlrikRr/Cisco-Smart-Exploit","date":"2023-02-01","url":"https://github.com/AlrikRr/Cisco-Smart-Exploit"},{"source":"nuclei","id":"CVE-2018-0171","title":"Cisco Smart Install - Configuration Download","type":"detection template","url":"https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/javascript/cves/2018/CVE-2018-0171.yaml"}],"products":[{"vendor":"cisco","product":"ios"},{"vendor":"cisco","product":"ios and ios xe"}],"references":[{"url":"https://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/advisories/ICSA-18-107-04","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","x_transferred","Third Party Advisory","US Government Resource"]},{"url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040580","tags":["vdb-entry","x_refsource_SECTRACK","x_transferred","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20180328-smi2","tags":["x_refsource_CONFIRM","x_transferred","Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.darkreading.com/perimeter/attackers-exploit-cisco-switch-issue-as-vendor-warns-of-yet-another-critical-flaw/d/d-id/1331490","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","x_transferred","Press/Media Coverage"]},{"url":"https://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/advisories/ICSA-18-107-05","tags":["x_refsource_MISC","x_transferred","Third Party Advisory","US Government Resource"]},{"url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/103538","tags":["vdb-entry","x_refsource_BID","x_transferred","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-0171","tags":["government-resource","US Government Resource"]},{"url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-0171"},{"url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4w6g-87mh-x63x"}],"sources":{"cve":[{"id":"CVE-2018-0171","description":"A vulnerability in the Smart Install feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to trigger a reload of an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition, or to execute arbitrary code on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of packet data. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted Smart Install message to an affected device on TCP port 4786. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a buffer overflow on the affected device, which could have the following impacts: Triggering a reload of the device, Allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device, Causing an indefinite loop on the affected device that triggers a watchdog crash. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg76186.","status":"published","published":"2018-03-28T22:00:00Z","modified":"2026-01-12T21:34:43.255Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"high","assessor":"adp"}],"cwes":["CWE-20"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:35:12.596526Z"}],"euvd":[{"id":"EUVD-2018-0994","description":"A vulnerability in the Smart Install feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to trigger a reload of an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition, or to execute arbitrary code on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of packet data. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted Smart Install message to an affected device on TCP port 4786. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a buffer overflow on the affected device, which could have the following impacts: Triggering a reload of the device, Allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device, Causing an indefinite loop on the affected device that triggers a watchdog crash. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg76186.","status":"published","published":"2018-03-28T22:00:00Z","modified":"2026-01-12T21:34:43Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"high"}],"exploited_since":"2021-11-03","updated_at":"2026-11-02T19:48:53.22038Z"}],"ghsa":[{"id":"GHSA-4w6g-87mh-x63x","title":"A vulnerability in the Smart Install feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software...","description":"A vulnerability in the Smart Install feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to trigger a reload of an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition, or to execute arbitrary code on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of packet data. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted Smart Install message to an affected device on TCP port 4786. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a buffer overflow on the affected device, which could have the following impacts: Triggering a reload of the device, Allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device, Causing an indefinite loop on the affected device that triggers a watchdog crash. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg76186.","status":"published","published":"2022-05-13T01:17:28Z","modified":"2025-10-22T00:32:32Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":9.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"critical"}],"cwes":["CWE-20","CWE-787"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:04:05.954742Z"}],"kev":[{"id":"CVE-2018-0171","title":"Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software Smart Install Remote Code Execution Vulnerability","description":"Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software improperly validates packet data, allowing an unauthenticated, remote attacker to trigger a reload of an affected device, cause a denial-of-service (DoS) condition, or perform code execution on the affected device.","cwes":["CWE-20"],"kev":{"date_added":"2021-11-03","due_date":"2022-05-03","required_action":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","known_ransomware_use":"Unknown"},"updated_at":"2026-11-02T17:00:17.050017Z"}],"nvd":[{"id":"CVE-2018-0171","description":"A vulnerability in the Smart Install feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to trigger a reload of an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition, or to execute arbitrary code on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of packet data. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted Smart Install message to an affected device on TCP port 4786. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a buffer overflow on the affected device, which could have the following impacts: Triggering a reload of the device, Allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device, Causing an indefinite loop on the affected device that triggers a watchdog crash. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg76186.","status":"published","published":"2018-03-28T22:29:01.063Z","modified":"2026-06-17T01:29:59.627Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":9.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"critical","assessor":"primary"},{"version":"3.1","score":7.5,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","level":"high","assessor":"secondary"},{"version":"2.0","score":10,"vector":"AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C","level":"high","assessor":"primary"}],"cwes":["CWE-20","CWE-787"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:04:24.700429Z"}]}}