How severe is CVE-2022-20945?

CVE-2022-20945 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2022-20945 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (34th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2022-20945?

CVE-2022-20945 primarily affects Cisco Catalyst 9800-l Firmware. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2022-20945?

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-2022-20945 published?

CVE-2022-20945 was published on 2022-09-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2022-20945

CVE-2022-20945 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Catalyst 9800-l Firmware with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4. 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-20.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.4)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (34th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Cisco Catalyst 9800-l Firmware
Published: 2022-09-30
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A vulnerability in the 802.11 association frame validation of Cisco Catalyst 9100 Series Access Points (APs) could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of certain parameters within association request frames received by the AP. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted 802.11 association request to a nearby device. An exploit could allow the attacker to unexpectedly reload the device, resulting in a DoS condition.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2022-20945?: A vulnerability in the 802.11 association frame validation of Cisco Catalyst 9100 Series Access Points (APs) could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of certain parameters within association request frames received by the AP. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted 802.11 association request to a nearby device. An exploit could allow the attacker to unexpectedly reload the device, resulting in a DoS condition.
How severe is CVE-2022-20945?: CVE-2022-20945 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2022-20945 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (34th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2022-20945?: CVE-2022-20945 primarily affects Cisco Catalyst 9800-l Firmware. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2022-20945?: 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-2022-20945 published?: CVE-2022-20945 was published on 2022-09-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ap-assoc-dos-EgVqtON8

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:o:cisco:catalyst_9800-l_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:catalyst_9800-40_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:catalyst_9800-80_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:catalyst_9800-cl_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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