CVE-2025-20155: ios xe — Fix

Description

A vulnerability in the bootstrap loading of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to write arbitrary files to an affected system. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of the bootstrap file that is read by the system software when a device is first deployed in SD-WAN mode or when an administrator configures SD-Routing on the device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by modifying a bootstrap file generated by Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager, loading it into the device flash, and then either reloading the device in a green field deployment in SD-WAN mode or configuring the device with SD-Routing. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary file writes to the underlying operating system.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

6.0

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-1287 CWE-1287

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All
cisco	ios_xe	All

References

Advisories & Patches

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-bootstrap-KfgxYgdh

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-20155? +

A vulnerability in the bootstrap loading of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to write arbitrary files to an affected system. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of the bootstrap file that is read by the system software when a device is first deployed in SD-WAN mode or when an administrator configures SD-Routing on the device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by modifying a bootstrap file generated by Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager, loading it into the device flash, and then either reloading the device in a green field deployment in SD-WAN mode or configuring the device with SD-Routing. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary file writes to the underlying operating system. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.0 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2025-20155? +

CVE-2025-20155 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 6.0 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.

What products are affected by CVE-2025-20155? +

CVE-2025-20155 affects products from cisco, specifically: ios_xe. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-20155? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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