# CVE-2017-6741: Memory corruption in Cisco IOS XE Software

> An authenticated remote attacker can trigger a buffer overflow in the SNMP implementation to execute arbitrary code or cause a system reload.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Jul 2017
- **Updated:** 31 Jul 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4p2r-xxqf-p9x8

## What is CVE-2017-6741?

CVE-2017-6741 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe, published on 17 Jul 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the SNMP implementation of could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a reload of the affected system or to remotely execute code. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted SNMP packet to the affected device. 



The vulnerability is due to a buffer overflow in the affected code area. The vulnerability affects all versions of SNMP (versions 1, 2c, and 3). The attacker must know the SNMP read only community string (SNMP version 2c or earlier) or the user credentials (SNMPv3). An exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code and obtain full control of the system or to cause a reload of the affected system.



Only traffic directed to the affected system can be used to exploit this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-6741?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Ios Xe.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-6741?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-6741 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-6741 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-6741 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Ios Xe

- [CVE-2023-20198](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20198/): Cisco IOS XE Web UI Privilege Escalation (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-0151](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0151/): Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software Quality of Service Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-20273](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20273/): Cisco IOS XE Web UI Command Injection (high 7.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-20188](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20188/): Hardcoded credentials in Cisco IOS XE Software (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2021-34770](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-34770/): Cisco IOS XE Software for Catalyst 9000 Family Wireless Controllers CAPWAP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-6741 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-6741 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe, published on 17 Jul 2017. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-6741 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Ios Xe. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6741/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6741/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-6741
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-6741
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-6741

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6741/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.