CVE-2025-20188

  1. OpenCVE
  2. Vulnerabilities (CVE)
  3. CVE-2025-20188
A vulnerability in the Out-of-Band Access Point (AP) Image Download, the Clean Air Spectral Recording, and the client debug bundles features of Cisco IOS XE Software for Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary files to an affected system. This vulnerability is due to the presence of a hard-coded JSON Web Token (JWT) on an affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTPS requests to the AP file upload interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to upload files, perform path traversal, and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.

10.0 /10

CVSS v3 : CRITICAL

V3 Legend

Vector :

Exploitability : 3.9 / Impact : 6.0

Attack Vector NETWORK

Attack Complexity LOW

Privileges Required NONE

User Interaction NONE

Confidentiality Impact HIGH

Integrity Impact HIGH

Availability Impact HIGH

Scope CHANGED

References
Link Resource
https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-wlc-file-uplpd-rHZG9UfC Vendor Advisory
https://horizon3.ai/attack-research/attack-blogs/cisco-ios-xe-wlc-arbitrary-file-upload-vulnerability-cve-2025-20188-analysis/ Exploit Third Party Advisory
Configurations

Configuration 1 (hide)

OR cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.11.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.11.99sw:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.12.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.12.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.12.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.13.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
History

23 Jun 2025, 15:15

Type Values Removed Values Added
References () https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-wlc-file-uplpd-rHZG9UfC - () https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-wlc-file-uplpd-rHZG9UfC - Vendor Advisory
References () https://horizon3.ai/attack-research/attack-blogs/cisco-ios-xe-wlc-arbitrary-file-upload-vulnerability-cve-2025-20188-analysis/ - () https://horizon3.ai/attack-research/attack-blogs/cisco-ios-xe-wlc-arbitrary-file-upload-vulnerability-cve-2025-20188-analysis/ - Exploit, Third Party Advisory
First Time Cisco
Cisco ios Xe
CPE cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.13.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.12.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.11.99sw:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.12.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.11.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:17.12.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

06 Jun 2025, 17:15

Type Values Removed Values Added
Summary (en) A vulnerability in the Out-of-Band Access Point (AP) Image Download feature of Cisco IOS XE Software for Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary files to an affected system. This vulnerability is due to the presence of a hard-coded JSON Web Token (JWT) on an affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTPS requests to the AP image download interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to upload files, perform path traversal, and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges. Note: For exploitation to be successful, the Out-of-Band AP Image Download feature must be enabled on the device. It is not enabled by default. (en) A vulnerability in the Out-of-Band Access Point (AP) Image Download, the Clean Air Spectral Recording, and the client debug bundles features of Cisco IOS XE Software for Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary files to an affected system. This vulnerability is due to the presence of a hard-coded JSON Web Token (JWT) on an affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTPS requests to the AP file upload interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to upload files, perform path traversal, and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.

04 Jun 2025, 14:15

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
  • () https://horizon3.ai/attack-research/attack-blogs/cisco-ios-xe-wlc-arbitrary-file-upload-vulnerability-cve-2025-20188-analysis/ -

08 May 2025, 14:39

Type Values Removed Values Added
Summary
  • (es) Una vulnerabilidad en la función de descarga de imágenes de puntos de acceso (AP) fuera de banda del software Cisco IOS XE para controladores de LAN inalámbrica (WLC) podría permitir que un atacante remoto no autenticado cargue archivos arbitrarios en un sistema afectado. Esta vulnerabilidad se debe a la presencia de un token web JSON (JWT) codificado de forma rígida en un sistema afectado. Un atacante podría explotar esta vulnerabilidad enviando solicitudes HTTPS manipuladas a la interfaz de descarga de imágenes del AP. Una explotación exitosa podría permitir al atacante cargar archivos, atravesar rutas y ejecutar comandos arbitrarios con privilegios de root. Nota: Para que la explotación sea exitosa, la función de descarga de imágenes de AP fuera de banda debe estar habilitada en el dispositivo. No está habilitada por defecto.

07 May 2025, 18:15

Type Values Removed Values Added
New CVE
Information

Published : 2025-05-07 18:15

Updated : 2025-06-23 15:15

NVD link : CVE-2025-20188

Mitre link : CVE-2025-20188

CVE.ORG link : CVE-2025-20188

JSON object : View

Products Affected

cisco

  • ios_xe
CWE
CWE-798

Use of Hard-coded Credentials