How severe is CVE-2023-20197?

CVE-2023-20197 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-2023-20197 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (55th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-20197?

CVE-2023-20197 primarily affects Cisco Secure Endpoint. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-20197?

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-2023-20197 published?

CVE-2023-20197 was published on 2023-08-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-20197

CVE-2023-20197 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Secure Endpoint 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-835.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (55th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-835
Affected product: Cisco Secure Endpoint
Published: 2023-08-16
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A vulnerability in the filesystem image parser for Hierarchical File System Plus (HFS+) of ClamAV could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to an incorrect check for completion when a file is decompressed, which may result in a loop condition that could cause the affected software to stop responding. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted HFS+ filesystem image to be scanned by ClamAV on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the ClamAV scanning process to stop responding, resulting in a DoS condition on the affected software and consuming available system resources. For a description of this vulnerability, see the ClamAV blog .

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-20197?: A vulnerability in the filesystem image parser for Hierarchical File System Plus (HFS+) of ClamAV could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to an incorrect check for completion when a file is decompressed, which may result in a loop condition that could cause the affected software to stop responding. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted HFS+ filesystem image to be scanned by ClamAV on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the ClamAV scanning process to stop responding, resulting in a DoS condition on the affected software and consuming available system resources. For a description of this vulnerability, see the ClamAV blog .
How severe is CVE-2023-20197?: CVE-2023-20197 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-2023-20197 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (55th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-20197?: CVE-2023-20197 primarily affects Cisco Secure Endpoint. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-20197?: 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-2023-20197 published?: CVE-2023-20197 was published on 2023-08-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-clamav-rNwNEEee

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_endpoint:*:*:*:*:*:linux:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_endpoint:*:*:*:*:*:macos:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_endpoint:*:*:*:*:*:windows:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_endpoint_private_cloud:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Cisco Secure Endpoint

CVE-2023-20032 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): On Feb 15, 2023, the following vulnerability in the ClamAV scanning library was disclosed: A vulnerability in the…
CVE-2022-20770 — High (CVSS 8.6): On April 20, 2022, the following vulnerability in the ClamAV scanning library versions 0.103.5 and earlier and 0.104.2…
CVE-2026-20215 — High (CVSS 7.5): A vulnerability in the 7z file format parser of ClamAV could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a DoS…
CVE-2026-20214 — High (CVSS 7.5): A vulnerability in the FSG file format parser of ClamAV could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a DoS…
CVE-2026-20213 — High (CVSS 7.5): A vulnerability in the PE file format parser of ClamAV could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a DoS…
CVE-2024-20290 — High (CVSS 7.5): A vulnerability in the OLE2 file format parser of ClamAV could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a…

All CVEs affecting Cisco Secure Endpoint →

Other CWE-835 (Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition (Infinite Loop)) vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-24816 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop') vulnerability in datavane tis…
CVE-2018-20784 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): In the Linux kernel before 4.20.2, kernel/sched/fair.c mishandles leaf cfs_rq's, which allows attackers to cause a…
CVE-2017-12997 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): The LLDP parser in tcpdump before 4.9.2 could enter an infinite loop due to a bug in…
CVE-2017-12995 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): The DNS parser in tcpdump before 4.9.2 could enter an infinite loop due to a bug in print-domain.c:ns_print().
CVE-2017-12990 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): The ISAKMP parser in tcpdump before 4.9.2 could enter an infinite loop due to bugs in print-isakmp.c, several functions.
CVE-2026-31448 — Critical (CVSS 9.4): In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: avoid infinite loops caused by residual…

Browse all CWE-835 (Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition (Infinite Loop)) vulnerabilities →