CVE-2025-20177
6.7 · MEDIUMOverview
CVE-2025-20177 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xr. It was published on March 12, 2025 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.7 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.7, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
A vulnerability in the boot process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to bypass Cisco IOS XR image signature verification and load unverified software on an affected device. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have root-system privileges on the affected device.
This vulnerability is due to incomplete validation of files in the boot verification process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the system configuration options to bypass some of the integrity checks that are performed during the boot process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to control the boot configuration, which could enable them to bypass the requirement to run Cisco-signed images or alter the security properties of the running system.
Note: Because exploitation of this vulnerability could result in the attacker bypassing Cisco image verification, Cisco has raised the Security Impact Rating (SIR) of this advisory from Medium to High
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update ios_xr 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 | ios_xr | >= 0, < 7.11.21 | Affected |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2025-20177?
CVE-2025-20177 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xr. It was published on March 12, 2025 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.7 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2025-20177?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.7, 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-2025-20177?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update ios_xr 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-2025-20177?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2025-20177 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
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