CVE-2025-20197: Input Validation

Published May 7, 2025
·
Updated

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker with privilege level 15 to elevate privileges to root on the underlying operating system of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation when processing specific configuration commands. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by including crafted input in specific configuration commands. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate privileges to root on the underlying operating system of an affected device. The security impact rating (SIR) of this advisory has been raised to High because an attacker could gain access to the underlying operating system of the affected device and perform potentially undetected actions. Note: The attacker must have privileges to enter configuration mode on the affected device. This is usually referred to as privilege level 15.

Affected Software

330 affected components
Cisco IOS XE Software
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.0bs
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.1as
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.2ts
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.3s
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.4as
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.4s
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.5s
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.6s
Cisco IOS XE=3.7.7s
Cisco IOS XE=3.8.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.8.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.8.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.9.0as
Cisco IOS XE=3.9.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.9.1as
Cisco IOS XE=3.9.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.9.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.11.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.11.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.11.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.11.3s
Cisco IOS XE=3.11.4s
Cisco IOS XE=3.12.0as
Cisco IOS XE=3.12.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.12.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.12.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.12.3s
Cisco IOS XE=3.12.4s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.0as
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.2as
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.3s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.4s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.5as
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.5s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.6as
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.6s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.7as
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.7s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.8s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.9s
Cisco IOS XE=3.13.10s
Cisco IOS XE=3.14.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.14.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.14.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.14.3s
Cisco IOS XE=3.14.4s
Cisco IOS XE=3.15.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.15.1cs
Cisco IOS XE=3.15.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.15.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.15.3s
Cisco IOS XE=3.15.4s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.0cs
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.1as
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.2as
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.2bs
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.3as
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.3s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.4as
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.4bs
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.4ds
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.4s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.5s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.6bs
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.6s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.7as
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.7bs
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.7s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.8s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.9s
Cisco IOS XE=3.16.10s
Cisco IOS XE=3.17.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.17.1as
Cisco IOS XE=3.17.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.17.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.17.3s
Cisco IOS XE=3.17.4s
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.0as
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.0s
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.0sp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.1asp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.1bsp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.1csp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.1s
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.1sp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.2asp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.2s
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.2sp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.3asp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.3bsp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.3s
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.3sp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.4s
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.4sp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.5sp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.6sp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.7sp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.8asp
Cisco IOS XE=3.18.9sp
Cisco IOS XE=16.1.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.1.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.1.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.2.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.2.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.1a
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.4
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.5
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.5b
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.6
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.7
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.8
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.9
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.10
Cisco IOS XE=16.3.11
Cisco IOS XE=16.4.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.4.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.4.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.5.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.5.1a
Cisco IOS XE=16.5.1b
Cisco IOS XE=16.5.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.5.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.4
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.4a
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.5
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.5a
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.6
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.7
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.8
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.9
Cisco IOS XE=16.6.10
Cisco IOS XE=16.7.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.7.1a
Cisco IOS XE=16.7.1b
Cisco IOS XE=16.7.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.7.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.7.4
Cisco IOS XE=16.8.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.8.1a
Cisco IOS XE=16.8.1b
Cisco IOS XE=16.8.1c
Cisco IOS XE=16.8.1d
Cisco IOS XE=16.8.1e
Cisco IOS XE=16.8.1s
Cisco IOS XE=16.8.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.8.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.1a
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.1b
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.1s
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.3a
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.4
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.5
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.5f
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.6
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.7
Cisco IOS XE=16.9.8
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.1a
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.1b
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.1c
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.1d
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.1e
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.1f
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.1g
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.1s
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.10.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.11.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.11.1a
Cisco IOS XE=16.11.1b
Cisco IOS XE=16.11.1s
Cisco IOS XE=16.11.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1a
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1c
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1s
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1t
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1w
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1x
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1y
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1z1
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.1z2
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.2
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.2a
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.2s
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.3
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.3a
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.3s
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.4
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.4a
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.5
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.5a
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.5b
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.6
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.6a
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.7
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.8
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.9
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.10
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.10a
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.11
Cisco IOS XE=16.12.12
Cisco IOS XE=17.1.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.1.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.1.1s
Cisco IOS XE=17.1.1t
Cisco IOS XE=17.1.3
Cisco IOS XE=17.2.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.2.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.2.1r
Cisco IOS XE=17.2.1v
Cisco IOS XE=17.2.2
Cisco IOS XE=17.2.3
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.1w
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.1x
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.1z
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.2
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.2a
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.3
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.4
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.4a
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.4b
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.4c
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.5
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.5a
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.5b
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.6
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.7
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.8
Cisco IOS XE=17.3.8a
Cisco IOS XE=17.4.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.4.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.4.1b
Cisco IOS XE=17.4.2
Cisco IOS XE=17.4.2a
Cisco IOS XE=17.5.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.5.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.1w
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.1x
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.1y
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.1z
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.1z1
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.2
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.3
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.3a
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.4
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.5
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.5a
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.6
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.6a
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.7
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.8
Cisco IOS XE=17.6.8a
Cisco IOS XE=17.7.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.7.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.7.1b
Cisco IOS XE=17.7.2
Cisco IOS XE=17.8.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.8.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.1w
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.1x
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.1x1
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.1y
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.1y1
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.2
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.2a
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.3
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.3a
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.4
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.4a
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.5
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.5a
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.5b
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.5e
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.5f
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.6
Cisco IOS XE=17.9.6a
Cisco IOS XE=17.10.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.10.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.10.1b
Cisco IOS XE=17.11.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.11.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.11.99sw
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.1w
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.1x
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.1y
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.1z
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.1z1
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.2
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.2a
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.3
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.3a
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.4
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.4a
Cisco IOS XE=17.12.4b
Cisco IOS XE=17.13.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.13.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.14.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.14.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.15.1
Cisco IOS XE=17.15.1a
Cisco IOS XE=17.15.1b
Cisco IOS XE=17.15.1w

Event History

May 7, 2025
CVE Published
via MITRE·05:39 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·05:39 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:15 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Mar 5, 57488
Event
via NVD·10:20 AM
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2025-20197?

The severity of CVE-2025-20197 is considered high due to the potential for unauthorized privilege escalation.

2

How do I fix CVE-2025-20197?

To fix CVE-2025-20197, ensure that you update the Cisco IOS XE Software to the latest version that addresses this vulnerability.

3

Who is affected by CVE-2025-20197?

CVE-2025-20197 affects devices running Cisco IOS XE Software where users have privilege level 15.

4

What kind of attacker can exploit CVE-2025-20197?

Only an authenticated, local attacker with privilege level 15 can exploit CVE-2025-20197.

5

What are the risks associated with CVE-2025-20197?

The risks associated with CVE-2025-20197 include potential complete control over the underlying operating system of affected devices.

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