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CVE-2025-20314

MEDIUMCVSS 6.7/10EPSS 0.15%

Last modified

CVE-2025-20314 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 6.7/10 on the CVSS scale. A vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to an affected device to execute persistent code at boot time and break the chain of trust. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of software packages. EPSS estimates a 0.15% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

A vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to an affected device to execute persistent code at boot time and break the chain of trust. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of software packages. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing a crafted file into a specific location on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute persistent code on the underlying operating system. Because this vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass a major security feature of a device, Cisco has raised the Security Impact Rating (SIR) of this advisory from Medium to High.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1
6.7/10

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

EPSS Probability
0.15%

4.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

References

Timeline

Published
Last Modified
Status
Deferred

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-20314?
A vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to an affected device to execute persistent code at boot time and break the chain of trust. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of software packages. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing a crafted file into a specific location on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute persistent code on the underlying operating system. Because this vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass a major security feature of a device, Cisco has raised the Security Impact Rating (SIR) of this advisory from Medium to High.
How severe is CVE-2025-20314?
CVE-2025-20314 has a CVSS score of 6.7/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.15% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2025-20314?
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-2025-20314?

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

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Source: NVD / NIST