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Exploited vulnerability · CISA KEV

Is CVE-2023-20273 exploited? Yes: in CISA KEV since 23 Oct 2023

Gociux · Cisco IOS XE Web UI · data: CISA KEV, CVE record, FIRST EPSS

Yes. CVE-2023-20273, Cisco IOS XE Web UI Command Injection Vulnerability, is being exploited in the wild. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 23 Oct 2023. It affects Cisco IOS XE Web UI, an internet-facing product of the kind attackers use for initial access. If you run it, CISA's required action is: Verify that instances of Cisco IOS XE Web UI are in compliance with BOD 23-02 and apply mitigations per vendor instructions. For affected products (Cisco IOS XE Web UI exposed to the internet or to untrusted networks), follow vendor instructions to determine if a system may have been compromised and immediately report positive findings to CISA.

exploitedYesCISA KEV · 23 Oct 2023
ransomwareNot knownno confirmed use
EPSStop 1%among the most likely CVEs to be exploited
severity7.2CVSS 3.1 · high
US federal due27 Oct 2023BOD 22-01 deadline

What it is

Cisco IOS XE contains a command injection vulnerability in the web user interface. When chained with CVE-2023-20198, the attacker can leverage the new local user to elevate privilege to root and write the implant to the file system. Cisco identified CVE-2023-20273 as the vulnerability exploited to deploy the implant. CVE-2021-1435, previously associated with the exploitation events, is no longer believed to be related to this activity.

VendorCisco (103 exploited CVEs in KEV)
ProductCisco IOS XE Web UI
VulnerabilityCisco IOS XE Web UI Command Injection Vulnerability
WeaknessCWE-78
Published24 Oct 2023
Added to KEV23 Oct 2023
Reported by (CNA)cisco

What to do

  1. Check whether you run it. Look for Cisco IOS XE Web UI in your asset inventory, including appliances and cloud images. Stack check lists every exploited Cisco CVE at once.
  2. Apply the fix. Verify that instances of Cisco IOS XE Web UI are in compliance with BOD 23-02 and apply mitigations per vendor instructions. For affected products (Cisco IOS XE Web UI exposed to the internet or to untrusted networks), follow vendor instructions to determine if a system may have been compromised and immediately report positive findings to CISA.
  3. If you can't patch today, take the affected service off the internet or restrict who can reach it, and check its logs for signs of compromise since 24 Oct 2023.
  4. Get told next time. Email alerts when CISA adds a CVE for Cisco.

References

Questions

Is CVE-2023-20273 being exploited?

Yes. CISA added CVE-2023-20273 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 23 Oct 2023, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild.

Is CVE-2023-20273 used in ransomware attacks?

CISA does not list known ransomware use for it. That can change, and exploitation alone is reason to fix it first.

How do I fix CVE-2023-20273?

Verify that instances of Cisco IOS XE Web UI are in compliance with BOD 23-02 and apply mitigations per vendor instructions. For affected products (Cisco IOS XE Web UI exposed to the internet or to untrusted networks), follow vendor instructions to determine if a system may have been compromised and immediately report positive findings to CISA. Check Cisco's advisory for the fixed versions, and if you can't patch quickly, restrict access to the affected Cisco IOS XE Web UI and watch it for signs of compromise.

Sources: CISA KEV (exploitation, ransomware use, required action, due date), the CVE record (publication date, CVSS, CNA), NVD and FIRST EPSS (live score). More: all KEV additions in October 2023 · Cisco scorecard · act-now radar.

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