CVE-2022-20855
7.9 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2022-20855 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xe. It was published on September 30, 2022 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.9 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.9, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
A vulnerability in the self-healing functionality of Cisco IOS XE Software for Embedded Wireless Controllers on Catalyst Access Points could allow an authenticated, local attacker to escape the restricted controller shell and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system of the access point. This vulnerability is due to improper checks throughout the restart of certain system processes. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by logging on to an affected device and executing certain CLI commands. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying OS as root. To successfully exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need valid credentials for a privilege level 15 user of the wireless controller.
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 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2022-20855?
CVE-2022-20855 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xe. It was published on September 30, 2022 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.9 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2022-20855?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.9, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2022-20855?
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-2022-20855?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2022-20855 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.
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