# CVE-2023-20198: Cisco IOS XE Web UI Privilege Escalation

> Attackers exploit a web UI flaw to create local users and gain initial access, facilitating privilege escalation and implant installation on Cisco IOS XE devices.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 16 Oct 2023 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4xrf-pcxr-rf3c

## What is CVE-2023-20198?

CVE-2023-20198 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe, published on 16 Oct 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Cisco is providing an update for the ongoing investigation into observed exploitation of the web UI feature in Cisco IOS XE Software. We are updating the list of fixed releases and adding the Software Checker. Our investigation has determined that the actors exploited two previously unknown issues. The attacker first exploited CVE-2023-20198 to gain initial access and issued a privilege 15 command to create a local user and password combination. This allowed the user to log in with normal user access. The attacker then exploited another component of the web UI feature, leveraging the new local user to elevate privilege to root and write the implant to the file system. Cisco has assigned CVE-2023-20273 to this issue. CVE-2023-20198 has been assigned a CVSS Score of 10.0. CVE-2023-20273 has been assigned a CVSS Score of 7.2. Both of these CVEs are being tracked by CSCwh87343.

Weakness: CWE-420 (Unprotected Alternate Channel)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20198?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Cisco Ios Xe, Rockwellautomation Allen-Bradley Stratix 5200 Firmware, Rockwellautomation Allen-Bradley Stratix 5800 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20198?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20198 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 20 Oct 2023.

## Is CVE-2023-20198 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-20198 in the wild since at least 16 Oct 2023.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2023-20198 Exploit PoC (github_poc): https://github.com/smokeintheshell/CVE-2023-20198
- CVE-2023-20198-RCE, support adding/deleting users and executing cli commands/system commands. (github_poc): https://github.com/W01fh4cker/CVE-2023-20198-RCE
- Cisco IOS XE implant scanning & detection (CVE-2023-20198, CVE-2023-20273) (github_poc): https://github.com/fox-it/cisco-ios-xe-implant-detection
- This is a webshell fingerprinting scanner designed to identify implants on Cisco IOS XE WebUI's affected by CVE-2023-20198 and CVE-2023-20273 (github_poc): https://github.com/Shadow0ps/CVE-2023-20198-Scanner
- CVE-2023-20198 & 0Day Implant Scanner (github_poc): https://github.com/ZephrFish/CVE-2023-20198-Checker
- CVE-2023-20198 Checkscript (github_poc): https://github.com/Atea-Redteam/CVE-2023-20198

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Ios Xe

- [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)
- [CVE-2019-12643](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-12643/): Cisco REST API Container for IOS XE Software Authentication Bypass Vulnerability (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-20198 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20198 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe, published on 16 Oct 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-20198 in the wild since at least 16 Oct 2023.

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-2023-20198/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20198/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20198
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20198
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20198

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20198/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.