CVE-2024-20278Network attack vector

Administrator-to-root escalation via crafted NETCONF input

Published Mar 27, 2024 · Updated Aug 15, 2024

Privilege escalation in the NETCONF feature of Cisco IOS XE Software allows remote authenticated users to gain root access. The feature improperly validates crafted user-supplied input, but Cisco has not disclosed the affected parser or rejected-input rule. NETCONF must be enabled and the attacker must already hold Administrator privileges; successful exploitation grants root control of the device.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.55%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in the NETCONF feature of Cisco IOS XE Software allows remote authenticated users to gain root access. The feature improperly validates crafted user-supplied input, but Cisco has not disclosed the affected parser or rejected-input rule. NETCONF must be enabled and the attacker must already hold Administrator privileges; successful exploitation grants root control of the device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-20278
Published
Mar 27, 2024
Updated
Aug 15, 2024
Vendor
ClamAV
Product
Cisco IOS XE Software
Classifications
CWE-184, T1068
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 27, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 15, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=17.10.1
  2. Affected versionversion=17.10.1a
  3. Affected versionversion=17.10.1b
  4. Affected versionversion=17.11.1
  5. Affected versionversion=17.11.1a
  6. Affected versionversion=17.11.99sw
  7. Affected versionversion=17.11.99SW
  8. Affected versionversion=17.12.1
  9. Affected versionversion=17.12.1a
  10. Affected versionversion=17.12.1w
  11. Affected versionversion=17.6.1
  12. Affected versionversion=17.6.1a
  13. Affected versionversion=17.6.1w
  14. Affected versionversion=17.6.1x
  15. Affected versionversion=17.6.1y
  16. Affected versionversion=17.6.1z
  17. Affected versionversion=17.6.1z1
  18. Affected versionversion=17.6.2
  19. Affected versionversion=17.6.3
  20. Affected versionversion=17.6.3a
  21. Affected versionversion=17.6.4
  22. Affected versionversion=17.6.5
  23. Affected versionversion=17.6.5a
  24. Affected versionversion=17.6.6
  25. Affected versionversion=17.6.6a
  26. Affected versionversion=17.7.1
  27. Affected versionversion=17.7.1a
  28. Affected versionversion=17.7.1b
  29. Affected versionversion=17.7.2
  30. Affected versionversion=17.8.1
  31. Affected versionversion=17.8.1a
  32. Affected versionversion=17.9.1
  33. Affected versionversion=17.9.1a
  34. Affected versionversion=17.9.1w
  35. Affected versionversion=17.9.1x
  36. Affected versionversion=17.9.1x1
  37. Affected versionversion=17.9.1y
  38. Affected versionversion=17.9.1y1
  39. Affected versionversion=17.9.2
  40. Affected versionversion=17.9.2a
  41. Affected versionversion=17.9.3
  42. Affected versionversion=17.9.3a
  43. Affected versionversion=17.9.4
  44. Affected versionversion=17.9.4a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

ClamAV · Cisco IOS XE Softwareversion=17.10.1; version=17.10.1a; version=17.10.1b; version=17.11.1; version=17.11.1a; version=17.11.99sw; version=17.11.99SW; version=17.12.1; version=17.12.1a; version=17.12.1w; version=17.6.1; version=17.6.1a; version=17.6.1w; version=17.6.1x; version=17.6.1y; version=17.6.1z; version=17.6.1z1; version=17.6.2; version=17.6.3; version=17.6.3a; version=17.6.4; version=17.6.5; version=17.6.5a; version=17.6.6; version=17.6.6a; version=17.7.1; version=17.7.1a; version=17.7.1b; version=17.7.2; version=17.8.1; version=17.8.1a; version=17.9.1; version=17.9.1a; version=17.9.1w; version=17.9.1x; version=17.9.1x1; version=17.9.1y; version=17.9.1y1; version=17.9.2; version=17.9.2a; version=17.9.3; version=17.9.3a; version=17.9.4; version=17.9.4a

Published CVSS scores

6.5Cisco Systems, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N/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-184Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs
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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