A vulnerability in the bootstrap loading of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to write arbitrary files to an affected system. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation of the bootstrap file that is read by the system software when a device is first deployed in SD-WAN mode or when an administrator configures SD-Routing on the device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by modifying a bootstrap file generated by Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager, loading it into the device flash, and then either reloading the device in a green field deployment in SD-WAN mode or configuring the device with SD-Routing. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary file writes to the underlying operating system.
This vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 6.0, requiring local system access to exploit with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from cisco organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Reported in 2025, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2025-05-07T18:15:37.330
2025-07-31T15:12:21.710
Analyzed
CVSSv3.1: 6.0 (MEDIUM)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.9.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.9.4a | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.9.5 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.9.5a | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.9.5b | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.9.5e | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.9.5f | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.9.6 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.9.6a | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.11.99sw | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.1 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.1a | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.1w | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.1x | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.1y | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.1z | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.1z1 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.2 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.2a | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.3 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.3a | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.4a | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.12.4b | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.13.1 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.13.1a | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.14.1 | Yes |
| Operating System | cisco | ios_xe | 17.14.1a | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For cisco's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.