CVE-2018-0161

CVE-2018-0161 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Ios with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.3. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2022-03-03). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-399.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) subsystem of Cisco IOS Software running on certain models of Cisco Catalyst Switches could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition, aka a GET MIB Object ID Denial of Service Vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to a condition that could occur when the affected software processes an SNMP read request that contains a request for the ciscoFlashMIB object ID (OID). An attacker could trigger this vulnerability by issuing an SNMP GET request for the ciscoFlashMIB OID on an affected device. A successful exploit could cause the affected device to restart due to a SYS-3-CPUHOG. This vulnerability affects the following Cisco devices if they are running a vulnerable release of Cisco IOS Software and are configured to use SNMP Version 2 (SNMPv2) or SNMP Version 3 (SNMPv3): Cisco Catalyst 2960-L Series Switches, Cisco Catalyst Digital Building Series Switches 8P, Cisco Catalyst Digital Building Series Switches 8U. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvd89541.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-0161?
A vulnerability in the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) subsystem of Cisco IOS Software running on certain models of Cisco Catalyst Switches could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition, aka a GET MIB Object ID Denial of Service Vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to a condition that could occur when the affected software processes an SNMP read request that contains a request for the ciscoFlashMIB object ID (OID). An attacker could trigger this vulnerability by issuing an SNMP GET request for the ciscoFlashMIB OID on an affected device. A successful exploit could cause the affected device to restart due to a SYS-3-CPUHOG. This vulnerability affects the following Cisco devices if they are running a vulnerable release of Cisco IOS Software and are configured to use SNMP Version 2 (SNMPv2) or SNMP Version 3 (SNMPv3): Cisco Catalyst 2960-L Series Switches, Cisco Catalyst Digital Building Series Switches 8P, Cisco Catalyst Digital Building Series Switches 8U. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvd89541.
How severe is CVE-2018-0161?
CVE-2018-0161 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-0161 being actively exploited?
Yes. CVE-2018-0161 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-03-03, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-0161?
CVE-2018-0161 affects Cisco Ios. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-0161?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2018-0161 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2018-0161 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2018-0984. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-03-03).
When was CVE-2018-0161 published?
CVE-2018-0161 was published on 2018-03-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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