Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Cisco IOS XR Software

CVE-2025-20138

What is CVE-2025-20138?

CVE-2025-20138 is a privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Cisco IOS XR Software, which is used in a variety of networking equipment for managing complex network environments. This vulnerability arises from insufficient validation of user input in the command-line interface (CLI). If an authenticated attacker with a low-privileged account exploits this flaw, they can execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on the underlying operating system of the affected device. The implications of this vulnerability can severely impact an organization's network security and operational integrity.

Technical Details

The vulnerability in CVE-2025-20138 stems from lapses in validating user arguments submitted through specific CLI commands. An attacker, by crafting particular commands, can manipulate the CLI to escalate their privileges from a low-privileged account to root. This allows them to execute arbitrary commands on the device, effectively gaining unauthorized control over system operations—a situation which poses significant risk to both data integrity and device functionality.

Potential impact of CVE-2025-20138

1. Unauthorized Access: The ability for low-privileged users to gain root access can lead to unauthorized control over critical network infrastructure, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate configurations and access sensitive data.

2. System Compromise: By executing arbitrary commands with root privileges, attackers could compromise the entire system, leading to disruptions in network services and potentially facilitating further attacks on connected systems.

3. Data Breaches: Unauthorized command execution could result in exposure or alteration of sensitive information, risking compliance violations and long-term damage to the organization’s reputation and trustworthiness.

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