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CVEs / CVE-2023-20198

CVE-2023-20198: Cisco IOS XE Web UI Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

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Summary

Cisco IOS XE Web UI contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in the web user interface that could allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to create an account with privilege level 15 access. The attacker can then use that account to gain control of the affected device.

CISA, Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

Description

Cisco is providing an update for the ongoing investigation into observed exploitation of the web UI feature in Cisco IOS XE Software. We are updating the list of fixed releases and adding the Software Checker. Our investigation has determined that the actors exploited two previously unknown issues. The attacker first exploited CVE-2023-20198 to gain initial access and issued a privilege 15 command to create a local user and password combination. This allowed the user to log in with normal user access. The attacker then exploited another component of the web UI feature, leveraging the new local user to elevate privilege to root and write the implant to the file system. Cisco has assigned CVE-2023-20273 to this issue. CVE-2023-20198 has been assigned a CVSS Score of 10.0. CVE-2023-20273 has been assigned a CVSS Score of 7.2. Both of these CVEs are being tracked by CSCwh87343.

The CVE record, via NVD · published 16 Oct 2023 · NVD status: Analyzed

Affected and fixed versions

As stated by the CVE record (from the CNA)
ProductAffectedFixed in
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.1.1—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.1.2—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.1.3—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.2.1—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.2.2—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.1—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.2—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.3—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.1a—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.4—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.5—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.5b—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.6—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.7—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.8—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.9—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.10—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.3.11—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.4.1—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.4.2—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.4.3—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.5.1—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.5.1a—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.5.1b—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.5.2—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.5.3—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.6.1—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.6.2—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.6.3—
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software16.6.4—

Exploitation

In CISA KEV since16 Oct 2023
Due date for US federal agencies20 Oct 2023
Used in ransomware campaignsUnknown
Required actionVerify that instances of Cisco IOS XE Web UI are in compliance with BOD 23-02 and apply mitigations per vendor instructions. For affected products (Cisco IOS XE Web UI exposed to the internet or to untrusted networks), follow vendor instructions to determine if a system may have been compromised and immediately report positive findings to CISA.

Severity

CVSS 3.110 critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Scored by NVD
WeaknessCWE-420

References

Sources

Exploitation status from the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. EPSS scores from FIRST. Descriptions, severity and references from the National Vulnerability Database. Open-source package versions from OSV (CC-BY 4.0). Text is shown as each source states it; Stackurity does not edit it. Check the vendor's advisory before acting.

This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.