---
id: "CVE-2023-20198"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2023-20198"]
title: "Cisco is providing an update for the ongoing investigation into observed exploitation of the web UI feature in Cisco\u2026"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 10.0
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Cisco IOS XE Web UI", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "rockwellautomation allen-bradley stratix 5200 firmware", "fixed": ["17.12.02"], "affected": "< 17.12.02", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "rockwellautomation allen-bradley stratix 5800 firmware", "fixed": ["17.12.02"], "affected": "< 17.12.02", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "cisco ios xe", "fixed": ["16.12.10a"], "affected": ">= 16.12, < 16.12.10a", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "cisco ios xe", "fixed": ["17.3.8a"], "affected": ">= 17.3, < 17.3.8a", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "cisco ios xe", "fixed": ["17.6.6a"], "affected": ">= 17.6, < 17.6.6a", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "cisco ios xe", "fixed": ["17.9.4a"], "affected": ">= 17.9, < 17.9.4a", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["cisco", "exploited", "infrastructure", "ios-xe", "network-devices", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["not-internet-exposed", "web-ui-disabled"]
published_at: "2023-10-16T00:00:00+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2023-20198", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20198", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"}]
---

# Cisco is providing an update for the ongoing investigation into observed exploitation of the web UI feature in Cisco…

Cisco IOS XE's Web UI has a privilege escalation flaw that lets a remote attacker with no login create an account at privilege level 15. That account gives full control of the network device.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Cisco IOS XE Web UI affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:rockwellautomation allen-bradley stratix 5200 firmware affected < 17.12.02 fixed 17.12.02
- vendor:rockwellautomation allen-bradley stratix 5800 firmware affected < 17.12.02 fixed 17.12.02
- vendor:cisco ios xe affected >= 16.12, < 16.12.10a fixed 16.12.10a
- vendor:cisco ios xe affected >= 17.3, < 17.3.8a fixed 17.3.8a
- vendor:cisco ios xe affected >= 17.6, < 17.6.6a fixed 17.6.6a
- vendor:cisco ios xe affected >= 17.9, < 17.9.4a fixed 17.9.4a

## Fix

Follow Cisco's vendor instructions for CVE-2023-20198 and apply the mitigations and patches they list; CISA BOD 23-02 applies to federal agencies.
If the Web UI is exposed to the internet or untrusted networks, check for unexpected accounts and report positive findings to CISA.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2023-20198
- 2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20198

## From the sources

Cisco is providing an update for the ongoing investigation into observed exploitation of the web UI feature in Cisco IOS XE Software. We are updating the list of fixed releases and adding the Software Checker. Our investigation has determined that the actors exploited two previously unknown issues. The attacker first exploited CVE-2023-20198 to gain initial access and issued a privilege 15 command to create a local user and password combination. This allowed the user to log in with normal user access. The attacker then exploited another component of the web UI feature, leveraging the new local user to elevate privilege to root and write the implant to the file system. Cisco has assigned CVE-2023-20273 to this issue. CVE-2023-20198 has been assigned a CVSS Score of 10.0. CVE-2023-20273 has been assigned a CVSS Score of 7.2. Both of these CVEs are being tracked by CSCwh87343.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_