CVE-2023-20065 Privilege escalation in Cisco IOS XE Software
An authenticated local attacker can escape the Cisco IOx application container to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on Cisco IOS XE devices.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2023-20065?
CVE-2023-20065 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe, published on 23 Mar 2023. 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 IOx application hosting subsystem of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to root on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient restrictions on the hosted application. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging in to and then escaping the Cisco IOx application container. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with root privileges.
Weakness: CWE-284
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20065?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Cisco Ios Xe.
How do I fix CVE-2023-20065?
No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20065 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is CVE-2023-20065 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20065 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Ios Xe
- CVE-2023-20198 Cisco IOS XE Web UI Privilege Escalation
- CVE-2018-0151 Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software Quality of Service Remote Code Execution
- CVE-2023-20273 Cisco IOS XE Web UI Command Injection
- CVE-2025-20188 Hardcoded credentials in Cisco IOS XE Software
- CVE-2021-34770 Cisco IOS XE Software for Catalyst 9000 Family Wireless Controllers CAPWAP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability