CVE-2023-20185

Name: CVE-2023-20185
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2023-07-12T14:15:09.72+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.4/10EPSS 0.33%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2023-20185 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.4/10 on the CVSS scale. A vulnerability in the Cisco ACI Multi-Site CloudSec encryption feature of Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Fabric Switches in ACI mode could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to read or modify intersite encrypted traffic. This vulnerability is due to an issue with the implementation of the ciphers that are used by the CloudSec encryption feature on affected switches. An attacker with an on-path position between the ACI sites could exploit this vulnerability by intercepting intersite encrypted traffic and using cryptanalytic techniques to break the encryption. EPSS estimates a 0.33% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

A vulnerability in the Cisco ACI Multi-Site CloudSec encryption feature of Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Fabric Switches in ACI mode could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to read or modify intersite encrypted traffic. This vulnerability is due to an issue with the implementation of the ciphers that are used by the CloudSec encryption feature on affected switches. An attacker with an on-path position between the ACI sites could exploit this vulnerability by intercepting intersite encrypted traffic and using cryptanalytic techniques to break the encryption. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read or modify the traffic that is transmitted between the sites. Cisco has not released and will not release software updates that address this vulnerability.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.4/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.33%

24.7th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.0\(1h\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.0\(2c\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.0\(3c\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.0\(3d\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(1i\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(1j\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(1k\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(1l\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(2g\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(2m\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(2o\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(2s\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(2u\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(2w\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.1\(2x\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(1i\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(1j\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(1l\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(2e\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(2f\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(2g\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(3j\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(3l\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(3n\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(3q\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(4i\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(4k\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(4o\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(4p\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(5k\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(5l\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(5n\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(6d\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(6g\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(6h\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(6l\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(6o\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(7f\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(7l\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(7q\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(7r\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(7s\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(7t\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(7u\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(7v\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	14.2\(7w\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	15.0\(1k\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	15.0\(1l\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	15.0\(2e\)
Cisco	Nx-Os	15.0\(2h\)

Showing 50 of 76 affected configurations. See NVD for the full list.

References

Timeline

Published: Jul 12, 2023
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-20185?

How severe is CVE-2023-20185?

CVE-2023-20185 has a CVSS score of 7.4/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.33% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2023-20185?

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.

Are you affected by CVE-2023-20185?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST