How severe is CVE-2023-20170?

CVE-2023-20170 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2023-20170 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-20170?

CVE-2023-20170 primarily affects Cisco Identity Services Engine. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-20170?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2023-20170 published?

CVE-2023-20170 was published on 2023-11-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-20170

CVE-2023-20170 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0. 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-78.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.0)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (37th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-78
Affected product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
Published: 2023-11-01
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A vulnerability in a specific Cisco ISE CLI command could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform command injection attacks on the underlying operating system and elevate privileges to root. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must have valid Administrator-level privileges on the affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted CLI command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate privileges to root.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-20170?: A vulnerability in a specific Cisco ISE CLI command could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform command injection attacks on the underlying operating system and elevate privileges to root. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must have valid Administrator-level privileges on the affected device. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted CLI command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate privileges to root.
How severe is CVE-2023-20170?: CVE-2023-20170 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2023-20170 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-20170?: CVE-2023-20170 primarily affects Cisco Identity Services Engine. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-20170?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2023-20170 published?: CVE-2023-20170 was published on 2023-11-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-injection-QeXegrCw

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.2:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.2:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:*

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