CVE-2023-20109

Exp

A vulnerability in the Cisco Group Encrypted Transport VPN (GET VPN) feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker who has administrative control of either a group member or a key server to execute arbitrary code on an affected device or cause the device to crash. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of attributes in the Group Domain of Interpretation (GDOI) and G-IKEv2 protocols of the GET VPN feature. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by either compromising an installed key server or modifying the configuration of a group member to point to a key server that is controlled by the attacker. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code and gain full control of the affected system or cause the affected system to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. For more information, see the Details ["#details"] section of this advisory.

Published: 2023-09-27 Last update: 2025-10-28 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Analyzed，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2023-20109 is rated Active Exploitation (75.1/100): CVSS Medium severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.58%). CISA KEV confirms active exploitation (added 2023-10-10) affecting Cisco / IOS and IOS XE. a weakness (CWE-787) Unauthenticated remote administrative access may be possible. The CISA remediation deadline has passed—treat as an emergency patch priority.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

CISA KEV Record for CVE-2023-20109

Name: Cisco IOS and IOS XE Group Encrypted Transport VPN Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability · CISA KEV detail

Exploit added: 2023-10-10

Action due: 2023-10-31

Required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-20109

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2025-12-28 0.75% 0.58% -0.18%
2 2025-12-27 0.58% 0.75% +0.18%
3 2025-11-21 — 0.58% —

Full EPSS history (22 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-20109

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
6.6 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:H)
They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 0.7 5.9 [email protected]
6.6 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:H)
They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 0.7 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-20109

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-20109

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)md cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)md:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)md1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)md1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)md2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)md2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)mda cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)mda:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)mda1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)mda1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)mda2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)mda2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)mda3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)mda3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)mda4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)mda4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)mda5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)mda5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)mda6 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)mda6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)t cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)t:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)t1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)t1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)t2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)t2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)t3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)t3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)t4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)t4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)t5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)t5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr6 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr9 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr10 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr11 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(22\)xr12 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(22\)xr12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)md cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)md:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)md1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)md1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)md2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)md2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)md3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)md3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)md4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)md4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)md5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)md5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)md6 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)md6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)md7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)md7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda6 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda9 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda10 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda11 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda12 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mda13 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mda13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb5a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb5a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb6 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb9 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb10 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb11 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb12 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb13 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb14 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb15 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb16 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb17 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb18 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)mdb19 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)mdb19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t3e cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t3e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t3f cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t3f:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t4a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t4a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t4b cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t4b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t4c cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t4c:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios 12.4\(24\)t4d cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios:12.4\(24\)t4d:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2023-20109

cvelogic Threat Intelligence