CVE-2023-20273

Exp

A vulnerability in the web UI feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to inject commands with the privileges of root. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted input to the web UI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to inject commands to the underlying operating system with root privileges.

Published: 2023-10-25 Last update: 2025-10-28 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Analyzed，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2023-20273 is rated Critical Active Threat (85.7/100): CVSS High severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 89.63%, 100th percentile). CISA KEV confirms active exploitation (added 2023-10-23) affecting Cisco / Cisco IOS XE Web UI. a weakness (CWE-78) 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-2023-20273

Name: Cisco IOS XE Web UI Command Injection Vulnerability · CISA KEV detail

Exploit added: 2023-10-23

Action due: 2023-10-27

Required action: Verify that instances of Cisco IOS XE Web UI are in compliance with BOD 23-02 and apply mitigations per vendor instructions. For affected products (Cisco IOS XE Web UI exposed to the internet or to untrusted networks), follow vendor instructions to determine if a system may have been compromised and immediately report positive findings to CISA.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-20273

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 2026-06-15 92.62% 89.63% -2.98%
2 2026-06-10 92.65% 92.62% -0.04%
3 2026-05-28 — 92.65% —

Full EPSS history (61 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-20273

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
7.2 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/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:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
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.
 1.2 5.9 [email protected]
7.2 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/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:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
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.
 1.2 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-20273

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-20273

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
cisco ios_xe 16.1.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.1.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.1.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.2.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.2.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.1a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.1a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.5b cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.5b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.6 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.9 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.10 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.3.11 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.3.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.4.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.4.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.4.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.5.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.5.1a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.5.1a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.5.1b cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.5.1b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.5.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.5.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.4a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.4a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.5a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.5a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.6 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.9 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.6.10 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.6.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.7.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.7.1a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.7.1a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.7.1b cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.7.1b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.7.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.7.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.7.4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.7.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.8.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.8.1a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.8.1a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.8.1b cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.8.1b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.8.1c cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.8.1c:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.8.1d cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.8.1d:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.8.1e cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.8.1e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.8.1s cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.8.1s:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.8.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.8.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.8.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.1a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.1a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.1b cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.1b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.1s cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.1s:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.3a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.3a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.5f cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.5f:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.6 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.9.8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.9.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.1a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.1a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.1b cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.1b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.1c cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.1c:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.1d cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.1d:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.1e cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.1e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.1f cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.1f:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.1g cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.1g:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.1s cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.1s:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.10.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.10.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.11.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.11.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.11.1a cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.11.1a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.11.1b cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.11.1b:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco ios_xe 16.11.1s cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:16.11.1s:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2023-20273

cvelogic Threat Intelligence