Cyber Resilience

CVE-2022-20708

RCE in Cisco Rv340 Firmware ≤ 1.0.03.24

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedRCECommand InjectionMemory Safety
Published
10 February 2022
Modified
28 October 2025
KEV Added
03 March 2022
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 10.0
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.15 96th percentile
Risk Priority 100 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2022-20708 is a critical-severity Stack-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-121) vulnerability in Cisco Rv340 Firmware. Its CVSS base score is 10.0 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059); ranked in the top 4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

Multiple vulnerabilities affect Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers. The issues, tracked under CVE-2022-20708 with a CVSS score of 10.0, stem from stack-based buffer overflows (CWE-121) and OS command injection flaws (CWE-78) that collectively enable arbitrary code execution, privilege escalation, command execution, authentication bypass, unsigned code loading, and denial of service.

Remote unauthenticated attackers can exploit the flaws over the network to compromise affected routers, gaining full control of the device and the ability to pivot within connected networks. The vulnerabilities require no user interaction or credentials, making internet-exposed routers particularly susceptible.

Cisco's security advisory recommends applying the vendor-supplied firmware updates listed for each model series. CISA has added the CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. The associated EPSS score rose from lower values to a peak of 0.1365 on 2025-12-11 before receding to the current 0.0931, indicating a period of increased exploitation interest after disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A05:2025 Injection

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers could allow an attacker to do any of the following: Execute arbitrary code Elevate privileges Execute arbitrary commands Bypass authentication and authorization protections Fetch and run unsigned…

more

software Cause denial of service (DoS) For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.

CWE(s)
CWE-121CWE-78
KEV Date Added
03 March 2022

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter Execution
Adversaries may abuse command and script interpreters to execute commands, scripts, or binaries.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.003 Windows Command Shell Execution
Adversaries may abuse the Windows command shell for execution.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.004 Unix Shell Execution
Adversaries may abuse Unix shell commands and scripts for execution.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.001 PowerShell Execution
Adversaries may abuse PowerShell commands and scripts for execution.
attack.mitre.org →
T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2022-20699Same product: Cisco Rv340both on KEV
CVE-2022-20701Same product: Cisco Rv340both on KEV
CVE-2023-20007Same product: Cisco Rv340
CVE-2021-1473Same product: Cisco Rv340
CVE-2022-20707Same product: Cisco Rv340
CVE-2022-20700Same product: Cisco Rv340both on KEV
CVE-2022-20703Same product: Cisco Rv340both on KEV
CVE-2019-1652Same vendor: Ciscoboth on KEV
CVE-2025-20352Same vendor: Ciscoboth on KEV
CVE-2024-20399Same vendor: Ciscoboth on KEV

Affected Assets

cisco
rv340 firmware
≤ 1.0.03.24
cisco
rv340w firmware
≤ 1.0.03.24
cisco
rv345 firmware
≤ 1.0.03.24
cisco
rv345p firmware
≤ 1.0.03.24

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 2 hardening rules · 2 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.2.5
  • V1.2.8
  • V15.2.5

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

SC-27 Platform-independent Applications
addresses: CWE-78

Platform-independent apps typically execute inside a managed runtime or sandbox that restricts direct OS command execution, reducing the ability to exploit OS command injection.

SI-10 Information Input Validation
addresses: CWE-78

Validates inputs to block special elements that would alter OS command execution.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure-development practices directly prevent introduction of stack buffer overflows.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability scanning can discover stack buffer overflows but does not prevent their introduction.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching eliminates known instances of the weakness after discovery.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing (fuzzing, static analysis) detects stack overflows before release.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure SDLC mandates buffer-safety practices that directly prevent stack overflows.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements can specify buffer-size and input-validation rules.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture principles include memory-safety and least-privilege stack usage.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards explicitly forbid unsafe buffer handling that causes CWE-121.

A.8.32 Change management none match
none

Change-management gates can enforce security reviews that catch buffer issues.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248594 OL 8 must implement address space layout randomization (ASLR) to protect its memory from unauthorized code execution. prevents CWE-121
Oracle Linux 9 (1 rule)
  • V-271452 OL 9 must use a Linux Security Module configured to enforce limits on system services. prevents CWE-121

References