How severe is CVE-2023-20235?

CVE-2023-20235 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2023-20235 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (40th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-20235?

CVE-2023-20235 affects Cisco Ios Xe. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-20235?

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

When was CVE-2023-20235 published?

CVE-2023-20235 was published on 2023-10-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-20235

CVE-2023-20235 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. 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-269.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (40th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-269
Affected product: Cisco Ios Xe
Published: 2023-10-04
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A vulnerability in the on-device application development workflow feature for the Cisco IOx application hosting infrastructure in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to access the underlying operating system as the root user. This vulnerability exists because Docker containers with the privileged runtime option are not blocked when they are in application development mode. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by using the Docker CLI to access an affected device. The application development workflow is meant to be used only on development systems and not in production systems.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-20235?: A vulnerability in the on-device application development workflow feature for the Cisco IOx application hosting infrastructure in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to access the underlying operating system as the root user. This vulnerability exists because Docker containers with the privileged runtime option are not blocked when they are in application development mode. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by using the Docker CLI to access an affected device. The application development workflow is meant to be used only on development systems and not in production systems.
How severe is CVE-2023-20235?: CVE-2023-20235 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2023-20235 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (40th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-20235?: CVE-2023-20235 affects Cisco Ios Xe. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-20235?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2023-20235 published?: CVE-2023-20235 was published on 2023-10-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-rdocker-uATbukKn

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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