# CVE-2020-3237: Cisco IOx Application Framework Arbitrary File Overwrite Vulnerability

> An authenticated local attacker can overwrite arbitrary files in the virtual instance by exploiting insufficient path restrictions in the Cisco IOx Application Framework.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 Jun 2020
- **Updated:** 15 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wpf6-xqrg-67f3

## What is CVE-2020-3237?

CVE-2020-3237 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco IOx, published on 3 Jun 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the Cisco Application Framework component of the Cisco IOx application environment could allow an authenticated, local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files in the virtual instance that is running on the affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient path restriction enforcement. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by including a crafted file in an application package. An exploit could allow the attacker to overwrite files.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-3237?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Iox.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-3237?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-3237 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-3237 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-3237 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco IOx

- [CVE-2017-3853](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3853/): Memory corruption in Cisco IOx (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-3238](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3238/): Cisco IOx Application Framework Arbitrary File Creation Vulnerability (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2017-3852](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3852/): Path traversal in Cisco Application-Hosting Framework (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2017-3851](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3851/): Path traversal in Cisco Application-Hosting Framework (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2016-9199](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-9199/): Path traversal in Cisco IOx (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-3237 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-3237 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco IOx, published on 3 Jun 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-3237 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco IOx. 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-2020-3237/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3237/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-3237
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3237
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-3237

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3237/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.