CVE-2023-20259
8.6 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2023-20259 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting cisco emergency_responder. It was published on October 4, 2023 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical Description
A vulnerability in an API endpoint of multiple Cisco Unified Communications Products could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause high CPU utilization, which could impact access to the web-based management interface and cause delays with call processing. This API is not used for device management and is unlikely to be used in normal operations of the device.
This vulnerability is due to improper API authentication and incomplete validation of the API request. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to a specific API on the device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition due to high CPU utilization, which could negatively impact user traffic and management access. When the attack stops, the device will recover without manual intervention.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update emergency_responder 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-2023-20259?
CVE-2023-20259 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting cisco emergency_responder. It was published on October 4, 2023 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2023-20259?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2023-20259?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update emergency_responder 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-2023-20259?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2023-20259 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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