CVE-2023-20040
5.5 · MEDIUMOverview
CVE-2023-20040 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting cisco network_services_orchestrator. It was published on January 20, 2023 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
A vulnerability in the NETCONF service of Cisco Network Services Orchestrator (NSO) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) on an affected system that is running as the root user. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must be a member of the admin group.
This vulnerability exists because user-supplied input is not properly validated when NETCONF is used to upload packages to an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a specially crafted package file. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to write crafted files to arbitrary locations on the filesystem or delete arbitrary files from the filesystem of an affected device, resulting in a DoS condition.
Note: By default, during install, Cisco NSO will be set up to run as the root user unless the --run-as-user option is used.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update network_services_orchestrator 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| cisco | network_services_orchestrator | >= 3.3, < 5.4.7 | Affected |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2023-20040?
CVE-2023-20040 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting cisco network_services_orchestrator. It was published on January 20, 2023 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2023-20040?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2023-20040?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update network_services_orchestrator 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-2023-20040?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2023-20040 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.
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Browser-based exploitation validates findings with real proof-of-concept.
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