CVE-2023-20083

CVE-2023-20083 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6. 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-835.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in ICMPv6 inspection when configured with the Snort 2 detection engine for Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the CPU of an affected device to spike to 100 percent, which could stop all traffic processing and result in a denial of service (DoS) condition. FTD management traffic is not affected by this vulnerability. This vulnerability is due to improper error checking when parsing fields within the ICMPv6 header. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted ICMPv6 packet through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the device to exhaust CPU resources and stop processing traffic, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: To recover from the DoS condition, the Snort 2 Detection Engine or the Cisco FTD device may need to be restarted.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-20083?
A vulnerability in ICMPv6 inspection when configured with the Snort 2 detection engine for Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the CPU of an affected device to spike to 100 percent, which could stop all traffic processing and result in a denial of service (DoS) condition. FTD management traffic is not affected by this vulnerability. This vulnerability is due to improper error checking when parsing fields within the ICMPv6 header. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted ICMPv6 packet through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the device to exhaust CPU resources and stop processing traffic, resulting in a DoS condition. Note: To recover from the DoS condition, the Snort 2 Detection Engine or the Cisco FTD device may need to be restarted.
How severe is CVE-2023-20083?
CVE-2023-20083 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6, 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-2023-20083 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (48th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-20083?
CVE-2023-20083 affects Cisco Firepower Threat Defense. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-20083?
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-2023-20083 published?
CVE-2023-20083 was published on 2023-11-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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