CVE-2024-20480

CVE-2024-20480 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe 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-670.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in the DHCP Snooping feature of Cisco IOS XE Software on Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) fabric edge nodes could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause high CPU utilization on an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition that requires a manual reload to recover. This vulnerability is due to improper handling of IPv4 DHCP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending certain IPv4 DHCP packets to 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 that requires a manual reload to recover.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2024-20480?
A vulnerability in the DHCP Snooping feature of Cisco IOS XE Software on Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) fabric edge nodes could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause high CPU utilization on an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition that requires a manual reload to recover. This vulnerability is due to improper handling of IPv4 DHCP packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending certain IPv4 DHCP packets to 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 that requires a manual reload to recover.
How severe is CVE-2024-20480?
CVE-2024-20480 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-2024-20480 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (43rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2024-20480?
CVE-2024-20480 primarily affects Cisco Ios Xe. In total, 205 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2024-20480?
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.
Does CVE-2024-20480 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2024-20480 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2024-18195.
When was CVE-2024-20480 published?
CVE-2024-20480 was published on 2024-09-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (205)

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