CVE-2023-20076Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Root command execution via unsanitized activation parameters

Published Feb 12, 2023 · Updated Oct 28, 2024

Command injection in Cisco IOx on affected Cisco IOS XE devices allows remote authenticated users to execute commands as root. The application-activation path incompletely sanitizes parameters from a crafted activation payload file before passing them for activation. Exploitation requires authenticated application deployment and activation, IOx enabled, and a device without native Docker; injected commands run as root on the host operating system.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability1.51%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in Cisco IOx on affected Cisco IOS XE devices allows remote authenticated users to execute commands as root. The application-activation path incompletely sanitizes parameters from a crafted activation payload file before passing them for activation. Exploitation requires authenticated application deployment and activation, IOx enabled, and a device without native Docker; injected commands run as root on the host operating system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20076
Published
Feb 12, 2023
Updated
Oct 28, 2024
Vendor
ClamAV
Product
Cisco IOS
Classifications
CWE-233, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 12, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 28, 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

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2CiscoCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-233Improper Handling of Parameters
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

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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