---
id: CVE-2025-20313
title: >-
  Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS XE Software of could allow an
  authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated
  attacker with physical access to the device to execute persistent code at boot
  time and brea…
summary: >-
  Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS XE Software of could allow an
  authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated
  attacker with physical access to the device to execute persistent code at boot
  time and brea…
severity: medium
cvss: 6.7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-35
vendor: cisco
product: ios_xe
affected:
  - ios_xe = 17.3.1
  - ios_xe = 17.3.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.3.1w
  - ios_xe = 17.3.1x
  - ios_xe = 17.3.1z
  - ios_xe = 17.3.2
  - ios_xe = 17.3.2a
  - ios_xe = 17.3.3
  - ios_xe = 17.3.4
  - ios_xe = 17.3.4a
  - ios_xe = 17.3.4b
  - ios_xe = 17.3.4c
  - ios_xe = 17.3.5
  - ios_xe = 17.3.5a
  - ios_xe = 17.3.5b
  - ios_xe = 17.3.6
  - ios_xe = 17.3.7
  - ios_xe = 17.3.8
  - ios_xe = 17.3.8a
  - ios_xe = 17.4.1
  - ios_xe = 17.4.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.4.1b
  - ios_xe = 17.4.2
  - ios_xe = 17.4.2a
  - ios_xe = 17.5.1
  - ios_xe = 17.5.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.6.1
  - ios_xe = 17.6.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.6.1w
  - ios_xe = 17.6.1x
  - ios_xe = 17.6.1y
  - ios_xe = 17.6.1z
  - ios_xe = 17.6.1z1
  - ios_xe = 17.6.2
  - ios_xe = 17.6.3
  - ios_xe = 17.6.3a
  - ios_xe = 17.6.4
  - ios_xe = 17.6.5
  - ios_xe = 17.6.5a
  - ios_xe = 17.6.6
  - ios_xe = 17.6.6a
  - ios_xe = 17.6.7
  - ios_xe = 17.6.8
  - ios_xe = 17.6.8a
  - ios_xe = 17.7.1
  - ios_xe = 17.7.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.7.1b
  - ios_xe = 17.7.2
  - ios_xe = 17.8.1
  - ios_xe = 17.8.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.9.1
  - ios_xe = 17.9.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.9.1w
  - ios_xe = 17.9.1x
  - ios_xe = 17.9.1x1
  - ios_xe = 17.9.1y
  - ios_xe = 17.9.1y1
  - ios_xe = 17.9.2
  - ios_xe = 17.9.2a
  - ios_xe = 17.9.3
  - ios_xe = 17.9.3a
  - ios_xe = 17.9.4
  - ios_xe = 17.9.4a
  - ios_xe = 17.9.5
  - ios_xe = 17.9.5a
  - ios_xe = 17.9.5b
  - ios_xe = 17.9.5e
  - ios_xe = 17.9.5f
  - ios_xe = 17.9.6
  - ios_xe = 17.9.6a
  - ios_xe = 17.9.7
  - ios_xe = 17.9.7a
  - ios_xe = 17.9.7b
  - ios_xe = 17.10.1
  - ios_xe = 17.10.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.10.1b
  - ios_xe = 17.11.1
  - ios_xe = 17.11.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1a
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1w
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1x
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1y
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1z
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1z1
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1z2
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1z3
  - ios_xe = 17.12.1z4
  - ios_xe = 17.12.2
  - ios_xe = 17.12.2a
  - ios_xe = 17.12.3
  - ios_xe = 17.12.3a
  - ios_xe = 17.12.4
  - ios_xe = 17.12.4a
  - ios_xe = 17.12.4b
  - ios_xe = 17.12.5
  - ios_xe = 17.12.5a
  - ios_xe = 17.12.5b
  - ios_xe = 17.12.5c
  - ios_xe = 17.13.1
published: '2025-09-24'
updated: '2026-09-26'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-26T00:10:00.127'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20313'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-secboot-UqFD8AvC
    label: psirt@cisco.com
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00183
epssPercentile: 0.07024
ingestedAt: '2026-09-17T19:26:25.278Z'
---

## Overview

Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS XE Software of could allow an authenticated, local attacker with level-15 privileges or an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to the device to execute persistent code at boot time and break the chain of trust.

 These vulnerabilities are due path traversal and improper image integrity validation.  A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute persistent code on the underlying operating system.

 Because this allows the attacker to bypass a major security feature of the device, Cisco has raised the Security Impact Rating (SIR) of this advisory from Medium to High.

 For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details ["#details"] section of this advisory.

   

  

  

 ERP

## Affected

- `ios_xe = 17.3.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.1w`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.1x`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.1z`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.2`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.2a`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.3`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.4`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.4a`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.4b`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.4c`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.5`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.5a`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.5b`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.6`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.7`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.8`
- `ios_xe = 17.3.8a`
- `ios_xe = 17.4.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.4.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.4.1b`
- `ios_xe = 17.4.2`
- `ios_xe = 17.4.2a`
- `ios_xe = 17.5.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.5.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.1w`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.1x`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.1y`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.1z`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.1z1`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.2`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.3`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.3a`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.4`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.5`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.5a`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.6`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.6a`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.7`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.8`
- `ios_xe = 17.6.8a`
- `ios_xe = 17.7.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.7.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.7.1b`
- `ios_xe = 17.7.2`
- `ios_xe = 17.8.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.8.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.1w`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.1x`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.1x1`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.1y`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.1y1`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.2`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.2a`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.3`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.3a`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.4`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.4a`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.5`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.5a`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.5b`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.5e`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.5f`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.6`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.6a`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.7`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.7a`
- `ios_xe = 17.9.7b`
- `ios_xe = 17.10.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.10.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.10.1b`
- `ios_xe = 17.11.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.11.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1a`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1w`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1x`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1y`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1z`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1z1`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1z2`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1z3`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.1z4`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.2`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.2a`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.3`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.3a`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.4`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.4a`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.4b`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.5`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.5a`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.5b`
- `ios_xe = 17.12.5c`
- `ios_xe = 17.13.1`

## Remediation

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