CVE-2020-3234

Root VDS shell via hard-coded credentials

Published Jun 3, 2020 · Updated Nov 15, 2024

Hard-coded credentials in Cisco IOS Software on 809, 829, and CGR1000 routers allow local users to obtain a VDS root shell. VDS virtual-console authentication accepts a shared static credential set, granting access to its Linux shell without checking device-specific secrets. The user must first authenticate to the router with low privileges and reach the virtual console; the credentials do not provide access to the Cisco IOS VM.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Hard-coded credentials in Cisco IOS Software on 809, 829, and CGR1000 routers allow local users to obtain a VDS root shell. VDS virtual-console authentication accepts a shared static credential set, granting access to its Linux shell without checking device-specific secrets. The user must first authenticate to the router with low privileges and reach the virtual console; the credentials do not provide access to the Cisco IOS VM.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-3234
Published
Jun 3, 2020
Updated
Nov 15, 2024
Vendor
ClamAV
Product
Cisco IOS
Classifications
CWE-798, T1078.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 3, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 15, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=n/a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

ClamAV · Cisco IOSversion=n/a

Published CVSS scores

8.8CiscoCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:X/RL:X/RC:X
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-798Use of Hard-coded Credentials
T1078.001Valid Accounts: Default Accounts

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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