# CVE-2018-0150: Hardcoded credentials in Cisco IOS XE

> An attacker can remotely log in with full administrative privileges using undocumented default credentials on affected Cisco IOS XE devices.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Mar 2018
- **Updated:** 2 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wpq9-4577-qx62

## What is CVE-2018-0150?

CVE-2018-0150 is a critical vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe, published on 28 Mar 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to log in to a device running an affected release of Cisco IOS XE Software with the default username and password that are used at initial boot, aka a Static Credential Vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to an undocumented user account with privilege level 15 that has a default username and password. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by using this account to remotely connect to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to log in to the device with privilege level 15 access. This vulnerability affects Cisco devices that are running a vulnerable release of Cisco IOS XE Software Release 16.x. This vulnerability does not affect Cisco IOS XE Software releases prior to Release 16.x. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCve89880.

Weakness: CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-0150?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Ios Xe.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-0150?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-0150 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-0150 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0150 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-2018-0150 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-0150 is a critical vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe, published on 28 Mar 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0150 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-2018-0150/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0150/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-0150
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-0150
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-0150

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0150/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.