CVE-2022-20720Network attack vector

Root code execution via unchecked symlink resolution

Published Apr 15, 2022 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Path traversal in Cisco IOx on Cisco IOS allows remote authenticated users to read or write host data through the IOx API. The API does not resolve requested data to its real path before access, so a symbolic link inside a deployed application can escape its intended directory. Exploitation requires high-privilege IOx credentials and control of a deployed application, after which data can be read or root-level code executed.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.50%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Cisco IOx on Cisco IOS allows remote authenticated users to read or write host data through the IOx API. The API does not resolve requested data to its real path before access, so a symbolic link inside a deployed application can escape its intended directory. Exploitation requires high-privilege IOx credentials and control of a deployed application, after which data can be read or root-level code executed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20720
Published
Apr 15, 2022
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
ClamAV
Product
Cisco IOS
Classifications
CWE-59, CWE-22, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 15, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=n/a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

ClamAV · Cisco IOSversion=n/a

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5Cisco Systems, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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