CVE-2022-20856Network attack vector

Device reload via CAPWAP resource exhaustion

Published Sep 30, 2022 · Updated Nov 1, 2024

Denial of service in Cisco IOS XE Wireless Controller Software allows remote attackers to reload devices with crafted CAPWAP packets. The CAPWAP Mobility message handler mismanages resources after a logic error, exhausting identifiers until the mobilityd process crashes. Unauthenticated network access reaches the flaw only when a Catalyst 9800 controller runs a vulnerable IOS XE release and belongs to a nondefault Mobility group.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability1.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in Cisco IOS XE Wireless Controller Software allows remote attackers to reload devices with crafted CAPWAP packets. The CAPWAP Mobility message handler mismanages resources after a logic error, exhausting identifiers until the mobilityd process crashes. Unauthenticated network access reaches the flaw only when a Catalyst 9800 controller runs a vulnerable IOS XE release and belongs to a nondefault Mobility group.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20856
Published
Sep 30, 2022
Updated
Nov 1, 2024
Vendor
ClamAV
Product
Cisco IOS XE Software
Classifications
CWE-664, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 30, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 1, 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 privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ClamAV · Cisco IOS XE Softwareversion=n/a

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
8.6Cisco Systems, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H/E:X/RL:X/RC:X

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-664Improper Control of a Resource Through its Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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