CVE-2023-20063 HIGH

CVE-2023-20063: Cisco Cisco Firepower Threat Defense Software and Cisco Firepower Management Center Code Injection Vulnerability

Vendor Cisco
Product Cisco Firepower Management Center
Weakness CWE-94 · Code injection
Published November 1, 2023
Last update December 16, 2025

CVSS base score

8.2/10
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required High
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

What the vulnerability does

01Description

A vulnerability in the inter-device communication mechanisms between devices that are running Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software and devices that are running Cisco Firepower Management (FMC) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root permissions on the underlying operating system of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by accessing the expert mode of an affected device and submitting specific commands to a connected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FMC device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FTD device. Alternatively, a successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of an FTD device if the attacker has administrative privileges on an associated FMC device.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

November 1, 2023 CVE published
December 16, 2025 Record updated