Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Software Command Injection Vulnerability

Vulnerability

The vulnerability exists in the system CLI of Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Software and stems from insufficient input validation [1]. An authenticated, local attacker can submit specially crafted input to the system CLI, which is not properly sanitized before being passed to the underlying operating system. Affected versions include all releases prior to the fixed versions listed in the Cisco Security Advisory [1].

Exploitation

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must have local access to the affected device and be authenticated at the CLI level. The attacker then submits crafted input to the system CLI, which is processed without adequate validation [1]. No user interaction beyond the attacker's own authentication is required, and no race condition or write access is needed.

Impact

A successful exploit allows the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with root privileges [1]. This results in complete compromise of the device's confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as the attacker gains full administrative control.

Mitigation

Cisco has released free software updates to address this vulnerability. Users should upgrade to the fixed versions specified in the Cisco Security Advisory [1]. No workarounds are available. Customers with service contracts can obtain updates through normal channels; those without contracts should contact the Cisco TAC [1].