CVE-2020-3417
Cisco IOS XE Software Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- cisco
Description
A vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute persistent code at boot time and break the chain of trust. This vulnerability is due to incorrect validations by boot scripts when specific ROM monitor (ROMMON) variables are set. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing code to a specific directory in the underlying operating system (OS) and setting a specific ROMMON variable. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute persistent code on the underlying OS. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need access to the root shell on the device or have physical access to the device.
Timeline
ID reserved
By cisco
- 10 months later
· 10 months later
Published
- 4 years later
· 4 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| ciscoCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Medium6.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | Medium6.7 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.36% · top 70% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 6.8.
Weakness
Affected products
- affected n/a
What to do
Exploitation: The Cisco Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerability that is described in this advisory.
References (1)
- 20200924 Cisco IOS XE Software Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_CISCOx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2020-3417)Record last updated .