Medium severity · published Sep 24, 2025
CVE-2025-20313
Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS XE Software of could allow an authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to…
6.7
CVSS
0.2%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS XE Software of could allow an authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to the device to execute persistent code at boot time and break the chain of trust.
These vulnerabilities are due path traversal and improper image integrity validation. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute persistent code on the underlying operating system.
Because this allows the attacker to bypass a major security feature of the device, Cisco has raised the Security Impact Rating (SIR) of this advisory from Medium to High.
For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details ["#details"] section of this advisory.
ERP
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
High
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.2% · higher than 8% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
IX
IOS XE · Cisco
17.3.1; 17.3.1a; 17.3.1w; 17.3.1x; 17.3.1z; 17.3.2; +34 more · source: NVD
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20313
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-20313
Vendor Advisory
https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-secboot-UqFD8AvC
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