CVE-2023-20040Network attack vector

Arbitrary file write or deletion via path traversal

Published Jan 19, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Path traversal in Cisco Network Services Orchestrator 4.7.3 allows remote authenticated users to write or delete arbitrary files. The NETCONF package-upload handler fails to validate user-supplied paths in crafted package files, allowing filesystem operations outside the intended package location. Exploitation requires admin-group membership and a root-run installation with NETCONF enabled, permitting service interruption through file deletion or crafted-file writes.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.24%
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 Network Services Orchestrator 4.7.3 allows remote authenticated users to write or delete arbitrary files. The NETCONF package-upload handler fails to validate user-supplied paths in crafted package files, allowing filesystem operations outside the intended package location. Exploitation requires admin-group membership and a root-run installation with NETCONF enabled, permitting service interruption through file deletion or crafted-file writes.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20040
Published
Jan 19, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
ClamAV
Product
Cisco Network Services Orchestrator
Classifications
CWE-434, CWE-23, T1485
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 19, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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=4.7.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

ClamAV · Cisco Network Services Orchestratorversion=4.7.3

Published CVSS scores

5.5CiscoCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-434Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
CWE-23Relative Path Traversal
T1485Data Destruction

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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