How severe is CVE-2023-20210?

CVE-2023-20210 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-2023-20210 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (10th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-20210?

CVE-2023-20210 primarily affects Cisco Broadworks Application Delivery Platform Firmware. In total, 48 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-20210?

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

When was CVE-2023-20210 published?

CVE-2023-20210 was published on 2023-07-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-20210

CVE-2023-20210 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Broadworks Application Delivery Platform Firmware 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-250.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.0)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (10th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-250
Affected product: Cisco Broadworks Application Delivery Platform Firmware
Published: 2023-07-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A vulnerability in Cisco BroadWorks could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to the root user on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation by the operating system CLI. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by issuing a crafted command to the affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands as the root user. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must have valid BroadWorks administrative privileges on the affected device.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-20210?: A vulnerability in Cisco BroadWorks could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to the root user on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation by the operating system CLI. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by issuing a crafted command to the affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute commands as the root user. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must have valid BroadWorks administrative privileges on the affected device.
How severe is CVE-2023-20210?: CVE-2023-20210 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-2023-20210 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (10th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-20210?: CVE-2023-20210 primarily affects Cisco Broadworks Application Delivery Platform Firmware. In total, 48 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-20210?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2023-20210 published?: CVE-2023-20210 was published on 2023-07-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-bw-privesc-yw4ekrXW

Affected products (48)

cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_application_delivery_platform_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_application_delivery_platform_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_application_delivery_platform_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_application_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_application_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_application_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_database_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_database_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_database_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_database_troubleshooting_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_database_troubleshooting_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_database_troubleshooting_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_execution_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_execution_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_execution_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_media_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_media_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_media_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_messaging_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_messaging_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_messaging_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_network_database_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_network_database_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_network_database_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_network_function_manager_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_network_function_manager_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_network_function_manager_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_network_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_network_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_network_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_profile_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_profile_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_profile_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_service_control_function_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_service_control_function_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_service_control_function_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_sharing_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_sharing_server_firmware:24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_sharing_server_firmware:25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:broadworks_video_server_firmware:23.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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