Overview
This report covers a significant security vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-20327, a denial of service (DoS) vulnerability in the web UI of Cisco IOS Software. The vulnerability could potentially allow an authenticated, remote attacker with low privileges to disrupt service on affected devices. This vulnerability is especially concerning as it impacts vital networking software, potentially compromising system integrity and leading to data leaks.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-20327
Severity: High (7.7 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: A successful exploitation could lead to a denial of service condition, potentially compromising the system and leading to data leakage.
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Cisco IOS Software | All versions with web UI
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability is due to improper input validation in the web UI of Cisco IOS Software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted URL in an HTTP request to the affected device. The improper input validation could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to reload, resulting in a denial of service condition.
Conceptual Example Code
A conceptual example of an HTTP request exploiting this vulnerability could look something like this:
GET /ui/?malicious_payload HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
In this example, the “malicious_payload” in the URL is crafted in such a way to exploit the improper input validation, causing the device to reload and initiate a denial of service condition.
Mitigation Guidance
To mitigate this vulnerability, users are strongly recommended to apply the vendor-provided patch as soon as possible. If the patch cannot be immediately applied, usage of Web Application Firewalls (WAF) or Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) can be a temporary mitigation measure. Regular monitoring and updating of all systems can also help prevent future vulnerabilities.

