Security Resilience

CVE-2023-20035

Cisco Ios Xe Sd-Wan

Published
23 March 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0022 12th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2023-20035 is a high-severity Improper Neutralization of Expression/Command Delimiters (CWE-146) vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe Sd-Wan. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Junk Data (T1001.001); ranked at the 12th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation by the system CLI. An attacker with privileges…

more

to run commands could exploit this vulnerability by first authenticating to an affected device using either local terminal access or a management shell interface and then submitting crafted input to the system CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands on the underlying operating system with root-level privileges. An attacker with limited user privileges could use this vulnerability to gain complete control over the system. Note: For additional information about specific impacts, see the Details section of this advisory.

CWE(s)
CWE-146NVD-CWE-noinfo

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1001.001 Junk Data Command And Control
Adversaries may add junk data to protocols used for command and control to make detection more difficult.
attack.mitre.org →
T1003 OS Credential Dumping Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to dump credentials to obtain account login and credential material, normally in the form of a hash or a clear text password.
attack.mitre.org →
T1003.001 LSASS Memory Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to access credential material stored in the process memory of the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS).
attack.mitre.org →
T1003.005 Cached Domain Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to access cached domain credentials used to allow authentication to occur in the event a domain controller is unavailable.
attack.mitre.org →
T1008 Fallback Channels Command And Control
Adversaries may use fallback or alternate communication channels if the primary channel is compromised or inaccessible in order to maintain reliable command and control and to avoid data transfer thresholds.
attack.mitre.org →
T1010 Application Window Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may attempt to get a listing of open application windows.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

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CVE-2024-20287Same vendor: Cisco
CVE-2026-20016Same vendor: Cisco
CVE-2023-20224Same vendor: Cisco
CVE-2023-20260Same vendor: Cisco

Affected Assets

cisco
ios xe sd-wan
all versions

Mitigating Controls

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 partial match
blocks

Secure SDLC practices directly require input neutralization to prevent delimiter/command injection.

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.8.19 Installation of software on operational systems partial match
removes
A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
blocks

A.8.25 mandates secure SDLC practices including secure coding guidelines, security requirements, checkpoints, testing (scans/penetration), and developer training that reach improper neutralization of delimiters, but leaves a bounded remainder (e.g. inconsistent application across outsourced development, incomplete coverage of all languages/environments, or post-SDLC changes).

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
blocks

A.8.26 explicitly calls out the need to identify and address requirements for resilience against SQL injections and similar attacks (item d), plus input validation (j) and related controls, which when specified and met stop exploitation of command/expression delimiter issues; this covers only the requirements-identification slice of CWE-146, not the actual implementation or completeness of neutralization in code.

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

Secure architecture principles reduce attack surface but do not prescribe delimiter neutralization.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards require proper neutralization of special elements, directly eliminating this weakness.

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

Security testing can detect the weakness but does not prevent it by itself.

References