---
id: CVE-2025-20248
title: >-
  A vulnerability in the installation process of Cisco IOS XR Software could
  allow an authenticated, local attacker to bypass Cisco IOS XR Software image
  signature verification and load unsigned software on an affected device
summary: >-
  A vulnerability in the installation process of Cisco IOS XR Software could
  allow an authenticated, local attacker to bypass Cisco IOS XR Software image
  signature verification and load unsigned software on an affected device. To
  exploit t…
severity: medium
cvss: 6
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N'
cwe:
  - CWE-347
vendor: cisco
product: ios_xr
affected:
  - ios_xr = 6.5.1
  - ios_xr = 6.5.2
  - ios_xr = 6.5.3
  - ios_xr = 6.5.15
  - ios_xr = 6.5.25
  - ios_xr = 6.5.26
  - ios_xr = 6.5.28
  - ios_xr = 6.5.29
  - ios_xr = 6.5.31
  - ios_xr = 6.5.32
  - ios_xr = 6.5.33
  - ios_xr = 6.5.35
  - ios_xr = 6.5.90
  - ios_xr = 6.5.92
  - ios_xr = 6.5.93
  - ios_xr = 6.5.351
  - ios_xr = 6.5.352
  - ios_xr = 6.6.1
  - ios_xr = 6.6.2
  - ios_xr = 6.6.3
  - ios_xr = 6.6.4
  - ios_xr = 6.6.11
  - ios_xr = 6.6.12
  - ios_xr = 6.6.25
  - ios_xr = 6.7.1
  - ios_xr = 6.7.2
  - ios_xr = 6.7.3
  - ios_xr = 6.7.35
  - ios_xr = 6.8.1
  - ios_xr = 6.8.2
  - ios_xr = 6.9.1
  - ios_xr = 6.9.2
  - ios_xr = 7.0.0
  - ios_xr = 7.0.1
  - ios_xr = 7.0.2
  - ios_xr = 7.0.90
  - ios_xr = 7.1.1
  - ios_xr = 7.1.2
  - ios_xr = 7.1.3
  - ios_xr = 7.1.15
  - ios_xr = 7.1.25
  - ios_xr = 7.2.0
  - ios_xr = 7.2.1
  - ios_xr = 7.2.2
  - ios_xr = 7.3.1
  - ios_xr = 7.3.2
  - ios_xr = 7.3.3
  - ios_xr = 7.3.4
  - ios_xr = 7.3.5
  - ios_xr = 7.3.6
  - ios_xr = 7.3.27
  - ios_xr = 7.4.1
  - ios_xr = 7.4.2
  - ios_xr = 7.4.15
  - ios_xr = 7.4.16
  - ios_xr = 7.5.1
  - ios_xr = 7.5.2
  - ios_xr = 7.5.3
  - ios_xr = 7.5.4
  - ios_xr = 7.5.5
  - ios_xr = 7.6.1
  - ios_xr = 7.6.2
  - ios_xr = 7.6.3
  - ios_xr = 7.6.15
  - ios_xr = 7.7.1
  - ios_xr = 7.7.2
  - ios_xr = 7.7.21
  - ios_xr = 7.8.1
  - ios_xr = 7.8.2
  - ios_xr = 7.8.22
  - ios_xr = 7.8.23
  - ios_xr = 7.9.1
  - ios_xr = 7.9.2
  - ios_xr = 7.9.21
  - ios_xr = 7.10.1
  - ios_xr = 7.10.2
  - ios_xr = 7.11.1
  - ios_xr = 7.11.2
  - ios_xr = 7.11.21
  - ios_xr = 24.1.1
  - ios_xr = 24.1.2
  - ios_xr = 24.2.1
  - ios_xr = 24.2.2
  - ios_xr = 24.2.11
  - ios_xr = 24.2.20
  - ios_xr = 24.3.1
  - ios_xr = 24.3.2
  - ios_xr = 24.4.1
  - ios_xr = 24.4.10
  - ios_xr = 24.4.15
published: '2025-09-10'
updated: '2026-09-26'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-26T00:10:00.127'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20248'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-xrsig-UY4zRUCG
    label: psirt@cisco.com
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00097
epssPercentile: 0.00701
ingestedAt: '2026-09-17T21:29:16.950Z'
---

## Overview

A vulnerability in the installation process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to bypass Cisco IOS XR Software image signature verification and load unsigned software on an affected device. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have root-system privileges on the affected device.

This vulnerability is due to incomplete validation of files during the installation of an .iso file. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by modifying contents of the .iso image and then installing and activating it on the device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to load an unsigned file as part of the image activation process.

## Affected

- `ios_xr = 6.5.1`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.2`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.3`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.15`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.25`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.26`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.28`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.29`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.31`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.32`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.33`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.35`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.90`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.92`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.93`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.351`
- `ios_xr = 6.5.352`
- `ios_xr = 6.6.1`
- `ios_xr = 6.6.2`
- `ios_xr = 6.6.3`
- `ios_xr = 6.6.4`
- `ios_xr = 6.6.11`
- `ios_xr = 6.6.12`
- `ios_xr = 6.6.25`
- `ios_xr = 6.7.1`
- `ios_xr = 6.7.2`
- `ios_xr = 6.7.3`
- `ios_xr = 6.7.35`
- `ios_xr = 6.8.1`
- `ios_xr = 6.8.2`
- `ios_xr = 6.9.1`
- `ios_xr = 6.9.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.0.0`
- `ios_xr = 7.0.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.0.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.0.90`
- `ios_xr = 7.1.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.1.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.1.3`
- `ios_xr = 7.1.15`
- `ios_xr = 7.1.25`
- `ios_xr = 7.2.0`
- `ios_xr = 7.2.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.2.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.3.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.3.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.3.3`
- `ios_xr = 7.3.4`
- `ios_xr = 7.3.5`
- `ios_xr = 7.3.6`
- `ios_xr = 7.3.27`
- `ios_xr = 7.4.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.4.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.4.15`
- `ios_xr = 7.4.16`
- `ios_xr = 7.5.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.5.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.5.3`
- `ios_xr = 7.5.4`
- `ios_xr = 7.5.5`
- `ios_xr = 7.6.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.6.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.6.3`
- `ios_xr = 7.6.15`
- `ios_xr = 7.7.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.7.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.7.21`
- `ios_xr = 7.8.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.8.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.8.22`
- `ios_xr = 7.8.23`
- `ios_xr = 7.9.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.9.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.9.21`
- `ios_xr = 7.10.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.10.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.11.1`
- `ios_xr = 7.11.2`
- `ios_xr = 7.11.21`
- `ios_xr = 24.1.1`
- `ios_xr = 24.1.2`
- `ios_xr = 24.2.1`
- `ios_xr = 24.2.2`
- `ios_xr = 24.2.11`
- `ios_xr = 24.2.20`
- `ios_xr = 24.3.1`
- `ios_xr = 24.3.2`
- `ios_xr = 24.4.1`
- `ios_xr = 24.4.10`
- `ios_xr = 24.4.15`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.