CVE-2020-3190: A vulnerability in the IPsec packet processor of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to cause a denial of service (Do...

Description

A vulnerability in the IPsec packet processor of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition for IPsec sessions to an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper handling of packets by the IPsec packet processor. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending malicious ICMP error messages to an affected device that get punted to the IPsec packet processor. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to deplete IPsec memory, resulting in all future IPsec packets to an affected device being dropped by the device. Manual intervention is required to recover from this situation.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L

EPSS Probability

1.32%

67.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cisco	Ios Xr	< 6.4.3
Cisco	Ios Xr	>= 6.6.0, < 6.6.3
Cisco	Ios Xr	>= 7.0.0, < 7.0.2
Cisco	Ios Xr	>= 7.1.0, < 7.1.1

References

Timeline

Published: Mar 4, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-3190?

A vulnerability in the IPsec packet processor of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition for IPsec sessions to an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper handling of packets by the IPsec packet processor. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending malicious ICMP error messages to an affected device that get punted to the IPsec packet processor. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to deplete IPsec memory, resulting in all future IPsec packets to an affected device being dropped by the device. Manual intervention is required to recover from this situation.

How severe is CVE-2020-3190?

CVE-2020-3190 has a CVSS score of 5.8/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.32% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-3190?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.