Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:NSummary
CVE-2023-20234 is a medium-severity External Control of File Name or Path (CWE-73) vulnerability in Cisco Firepower Extensible Operating System. Its CVSS base score is 4.4 (Medium).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Credentials In Files (T1552.001); ranked at the 7th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-24413
Vulnerability Data
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco FXOS Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to create a file or overwrite any file on the filesystem of an affected device, including system files. The vulnerability occurs because there is no…
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validation of parameters when a specific CLI command is used. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to an affected device and using the command at the CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to overwrite any file on the disk of the affected device, including system files. The attacker must have valid administrative credentials on the affected device to exploit this vulnerability.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 7 hardening rules · 4 OS baselines
V5.3.2
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.
Procedures support proper permission assignment for critical resources through documented controls.
Attribute management for resources provides a mechanism to assign and maintain correct permissions based on security labels.
Prevents overly permissive assignments to critical resources by limiting to task needs.
Training policy covers correct permission assignment, reducing the ability to exploit incorrect permission assignments for critical resources.
Training on permission management reduces incorrect permission assignments for critical resources.
Audit logs and logging tools are critical resources whose protection requires correct permission assignments to block unauthorized actions.
Assessments review permission assignments on critical resources to confirm correctness, mitigating exploitation via incorrect permissions.
Certification includes checking that permissions on critical resources are correctly assigned.
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.
Directly requires defining, enforcing, and reviewing access permissions and least privilege on resources.
Secure SDLC practices include input validation and path sanitization that eliminate this weakness.
Hardened baselines and configuration management explicitly include correct permission settings for critical resources.
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.
By requiring owners to determine and document the exact permissions needed for each asset, the control reduces the likelihood that default or overly permissive file and resource permissions will be left in place.
Documented provisioning and revocation procedures reduce the chance that critical resources retain overly permissive default or leftover permissions after personnel changes.
Documented authorization, expiry rules, and audit logging of privileged accounts make it harder for critical resources to retain overly permissive or stale permission assignments.
Security testing can detect path-traversal issues but does not itself implement preventive controls.
Requiring explicit configuration of access controls and permissions for files, applications and services counters the assignment of overly permissive default or incorrect file-system rights.
Enforcing differentiated permissions on the source-code repository and program listings stops the assignment of overly broad default or inherited permissions to critical resources.
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-248577 OL 8 must enable kernel parameters to enforce Discretionary Access Control (DAC) on symlinks. prevents CWE-732
Windows Server 2016 (2 rules)
- V-224972 Active Directory Group Policy objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-732
- V-224831 Local volumes must use a format that supports NTFS attributes. prevents CWE-732
Windows Server 2019 (2 rules)
- V-205741 Windows Server 2019 Active Directory Group Policy objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-732
- V-205663 Windows Server 2019 local volumes must use a format that supports NTFS attributes. prevents CWE-732
Windows Server 2022 (2 rules)
- V-254393 Windows Server 2022 Active Directory Group Policy objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-732
- V-254250 Windows Server 2022 local volumes must use a format that supports NTFS attributes. prevents CWE-732