# CVE-2025-20354: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> Unauthenticated remote attackers can upload files via Java RMI to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on Cisco Unified CCX systems.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Nov 2025
- **Updated:** 26 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-px5r-4v6x-q5mv

## What is CVE-2025-20354?

CVE-2025-20354 is a critical vulnerability in Cisco Unified Contact Center Express, published on 5 Nov 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) process of Cisco Unified CCX could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary files and execute arbitrary commands with root permissions on an affected system.

This vulnerability is due to improper authentication mechanisms that are associated to specific Cisco Unified CCX features. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a crafted file to an affected system through the Java RMI process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system and elevate privileges to root.

Weakness: CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-20354?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-20354?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-20354 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-20354 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-20354 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Unified Contact Center Express

- [CVE-2020-3280](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3280/): Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-0403](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0403/): Information disclosure in Cisco Unified Contact Center Express unknown (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-20658](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-20658/): Privilege escalation in Cisco Unified Contact Center Domain Manager (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2025-20358](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20358/): Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Editor Authentication Bypass Vulnerability (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2018-0402](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0402/): Cross-site request forgery in Cisco Unified Contact Center Express unknown (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-20354 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-20354 is a critical vulnerability in Cisco Unified Contact Center Express, published on 5 Nov 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-2025-20354 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Unified Contact Center Express. 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-2025-20354/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20354/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-20354
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20354
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-20354

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20354/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.