# CVE-2025-20293: Missing authorization in Cisco IOS XE Software

> Unauthenticated attackers can exploit incomplete cleanup to access the PKI server, obtain certificates, and join rogue devices to the wireless controller.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 24 Sep 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vjm2-5vch-882g

## What is CVE-2025-20293?

CVE-2025-20293 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software, published on 24 Sep 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the Day One setup process of Cisco IOS XE Software for Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers for Cloud (9800-CL) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access the public-key infrastructure (PKI) server that is running on an affected device.

 This vulnerability is due to incomplete cleanup upon completion of the Day One setup process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) requests to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to request a certificate from the virtual wireless controller and then use the acquired certificate to join an attacker-controlled device to the virtual wireless controller.

Weakness: CWE-459 (Incomplete Cleanup)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-20293?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-20293?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-20293 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-20293 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-20293 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-20293 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-20293 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software, published on 24 Sep 2025. 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-2025-20293 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco IOS XE Software. 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-2025-20293/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20293/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-20293
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20293
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-20293

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20293/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.