CVE-2007-4263 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the server side of the Secure Copy (SCP) implementation in Cisco 12.2-based IOS allows remote authenticated users to read, write or overwrite any file on the device s filesystem via unknown vectors.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4263 represents a critical security flaw within the Secure Copy protocol implementation on Cisco devices running IOS version 12.2. This issue affects the server-side component of SCP functionality, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by authenticated remote adversaries. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors suggests a fundamental weakness in the file system access controls or authentication mechanisms within the SCP implementation, potentially allowing unauthorized file operations across the device's storage system.
This vulnerability operates at the core of network device security protocols where SCP is used for secure file transfers between network devices and remote systems. The affected Cisco devices with IOS 12.2 implementations likely lack proper input validation and access control checks when processing SCP commands, creating opportunities for privilege escalation through malformed or malicious file operations. The authentication requirement indicates that attackers must first establish valid credentials, but once authenticated, they can leverage this vulnerability to perform arbitrary file system operations, including reading sensitive configuration files, writing malicious code, or overwriting critical system files.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise, as it enables attackers to potentially gain deeper system control through file manipulation. Remote authenticated users could exploit this weakness to modify system binaries, inject backdoors, or access confidential network configuration data that would normally be protected. This represents a serious breach of the principle of least privilege and could lead to complete system compromise, especially when combined with other vulnerabilities or when the authenticated user has administrative privileges. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the network infrastructure, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent access or disrupt network operations through file system modifications.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched IOS versions, disabling SCP functionality where possible, and implementing network segmentation to limit the attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access control issues, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. Organizations should also deploy network monitoring to detect anomalous file access patterns and ensure proper access controls are in place to prevent unauthorized file system operations. The incident highlights the importance of secure coding practices in network infrastructure components and demonstrates how seemingly routine file transfer protocols can become critical attack vectors when implementation flaws exist.