CVE-2020-3417
6.8 · MEDIUMOverview
CVE-2020-3417 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xe. It was published on September 24, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.8 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.8, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
A vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute persistent code at boot time and break the chain of trust. This vulnerability is due to incorrect validations by boot scripts when specific ROM monitor (ROMMON) variables are set. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing code to a specific directory in the underlying operating system (OS) and setting a specific ROMMON variable. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute persistent code on the underlying OS. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need access to the root shell on the device or have physical access to the device.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update ios_xe to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2020-3417?
CVE-2020-3417 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xe. It was published on September 24, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.8 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2020-3417?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.8, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2020-3417?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update ios_xe to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2020-3417?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2020-3417 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
Automated penetration testing that runs continuously, not just quarterly.
AI-driven PR review catches vulnerable dependencies before they ship.
Browser-based exploitation validates findings with real proof-of-concept.
Related MEDIUM CVEs from 2020
View all →In postfix-mta-sts-resolver before 0.5.1, All users can receive incorrect response from daemon under
Potential security vulnerabilities have been identified in HPE OpenCall Media Platform (OCMP) result
In jQuery versions greater than or equal to 1.0.3 and before 3.5.0, passing HTML containing <option>
In jQuery starting with 1.12.0 and before 3.5.0, passing HTML from untrusted sources - even after sa
In Wiki.js before 2.3.81, there is a stored XSS in the Markdown editor. An editor with write access
The shell subsystem contains a buffer overflow, whereby an adversary with physical access to the dev
In FreeRDP less than or equal to 2.0.0, an Integer Overflow to Buffer Overflow exists. When using /v
In Saleor Storefront before version 2.10.3, request data used to authenticate customers was inadvert
Privilege Escalation vulnerability in the installer in McAfee McAfee Total Protection (MTP) trial pr
Authentication Protection Bypass vulnerability in McAfee Endpoint Security (ENS) for Windows prior t
Dell Inspiron 15 7579 2-in-1 BIOS versions prior to 1.31.0 contain an Improper SMM communication buf
Azure Sphere Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability