CVE-2023-20186 HIGH

CVE-2023-20186

Vendor Cisco
Product IOS
Weakness CWE-285
Published September 27, 2023
Last update December 16, 2025

CVSS base score

8.0/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity High
Privileges required High
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

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

What the vulnerability does

01Description

A vulnerability in the Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to bypass command authorization and copy files to or from the file system of an affected device using the Secure Copy Protocol (SCP). This vulnerability is due to incorrect processing of SCP commands in AAA command authorization checks. An attacker with valid credentials and level 15 privileges could exploit this vulnerability by using SCP to connect to an affected device from an external machine. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain or change the configuration of the affected device and put files on or retrieve files from the affected device.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

September 27, 2023 CVE published
December 16, 2025 Record updated