CVE-2020-3199 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple vulnerabilities in the Cisco IOx application environment of Cisco 809 and 829 Industrial Integrated Services Routers (Industrial ISRs) and Cisco 1000 Series Connected Grid Routers (CGR1000) that are running Cisco IOS Software could allow an attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition or execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges on an affected device. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3199 affects the Cisco IOx application environment running on specific industrial router models including the 809 and 829 Industrial ISRs and CGR1000 series routers. These devices operate within critical infrastructure environments where reliability and security are paramount, making the potential impact of such vulnerabilities particularly concerning for industrial control systems and grid operations. The IOx platform enables third-party applications to run on Cisco industrial routers, extending their functionality for various industrial IoT applications while creating additional attack surfaces that adversaries can exploit.
The technical flaw resides within the IOx application environment implementation which fails to properly validate input parameters and handle memory operations during application execution. This vulnerability manifests through improper handling of crafted inputs that can trigger memory corruption conditions, leading to either unauthorized code execution with elevated privileges or denial of service conditions that can disrupt critical network operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the application hosting and execution mechanisms within the IOx framework, where insufficient bounds checking and input sanitization allow attackers to manipulate the application environment through carefully constructed malicious payloads.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-3199 extends beyond simple service disruption as it presents a significant security risk for industrial networks that rely on these routers for critical communications. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain elevated privileges on the affected device, potentially allowing them to modify routing configurations, intercept communications, or disable network services that are essential for industrial operations. The denial of service aspect could result in complete network outages for industrial facilities, while the privilege escalation capability could enable persistent access to critical infrastructure components. These routers are commonly deployed in energy grid operations, manufacturing environments, and other industrial settings where network reliability directly impacts operational safety and business continuity.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest Cisco IOS software patches that address the IOx environment vulnerabilities, restricting network access to the affected devices through firewall rules and network segmentation, and monitoring for suspicious network activity or unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121 and CWE-122 categories related to stack and heap-based buffer overflows, and the attack vectors can be mapped to ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation and denial of service. Network administrators should also consider disabling IOx functionality if third-party applications are not actively required, as this reduces the attack surface. Regular vulnerability assessments and security monitoring should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain overall network security posture.
This vulnerability demonstrates the increased security challenges present in industrial networking environments where legacy systems must support modern application frameworks while maintaining operational reliability. The IOx platform, designed to enable industrial IoT capabilities, creates additional complexity in security management that requires careful consideration of both application security and network infrastructure protection. Organizations must balance the benefits of extended functionality with the increased security risks that come with supporting third-party applications within critical industrial control systems.