CVE-2017-3857

CVE-2017-3857 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Ios with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-400.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) parsing function of Cisco IOS (12.0 through 12.4 and 15.0 through 15.6) and Cisco IOS XE (3.1 through 3.18) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause an affected device to reload. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of L2TP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted L2TP packet to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. This vulnerability affects Cisco devices that are running a vulnerable release of Cisco IOS or Cisco IOS XE Software if the L2TP feature is enabled for the device and the device is configured as an L2TP Version 2 (L2TPv2) or L2TP Version 3 (L2TPv3) endpoint. By default, the L2TP feature is not enabled. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCuy82078.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-3857?
A vulnerability in the Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) parsing function of Cisco IOS (12.0 through 12.4 and 15.0 through 15.6) and Cisco IOS XE (3.1 through 3.18) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause an affected device to reload. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of L2TP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted L2TP packet to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. This vulnerability affects Cisco devices that are running a vulnerable release of Cisco IOS or Cisco IOS XE Software if the L2TP feature is enabled for the device and the device is configured as an L2TP Version 2 (L2TPv2) or L2TP Version 3 (L2TPv3) endpoint. By default, the L2TP feature is not enabled. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCuy82078.
How severe is CVE-2017-3857?
CVE-2017-3857 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-3857 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (83rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-3857?
CVE-2017-3857 primarily affects Cisco Ios. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-3857?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2017-3857 published?
CVE-2017-3857 was published on 2017-03-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

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