# CVE-2023-20186: Missing authorization in Cisco IOS XE Software

> Authenticated attackers with level 15 privileges can bypass AAA command authorization via SCP to read or modify device files and configurations.

- **Severity:** High 8.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 27 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 16 Dec 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2hj4-ccw5-92h5

## What is CVE-2023-20186?

CVE-2023-20186 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Ios, published on 27 Sep 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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.

Weakness: CWE-285 (Improper Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20186?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Cisco Ios, Cisco Ios Xe.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20186?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20186 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20186 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20186 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Ios

- [CVE-2017-12240](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12240/): Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software DHCP Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-3881](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3881/): Cisco IOS and IOS XE Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-0167](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0167/): Cisco IOS, XR, and XE Software Buffer Overflow (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-6736](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6736/): Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software SNMP Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-6737](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6737/): Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software SNMP Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-20186 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20186 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Ios, published on 27 Sep 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20186 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Ios. 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-2023-20186/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20186/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20186
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20186
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20186

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20186/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.