CVE-2025-20188 in IOS XE
Summary
by MITRE • 05/07/2025
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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2025
This vulnerability resides within the Out-of-Band Access Point Image Download functionality of Cisco IOS XE Software running on Wireless LAN Controllers, representing a critical security flaw that enables remote code execution through unauthorized file upload capabilities. The vulnerability stems from a hardcoded JSON Web Token (JWT) that persists within the affected system, creating an inherent authentication bypass mechanism. The presence of this hard-coded credential eliminates the need for legitimate authentication, allowing any remote attacker to exploit the feature without prior authorization. This configuration flaw directly violates security best practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten 2021, specifically addressing the weakness of hard-coded credentials in security-sensitive components. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-798 as the use of hard-coded credentials, which represents a fundamental design flaw in the software architecture.
The technical exploitation mechanism involves crafting specially formatted HTTPS requests to target the AP image download interface, leveraging the hardcoded JWT to authenticate malicious requests. This attack vector enables a sophisticated exploitation chain that includes arbitrary file uploads, path traversal attacks, and ultimately privilege escalation to root level access. The path traversal component allows attackers to navigate beyond the intended file system boundaries, potentially accessing sensitive system directories and files. The combination of these attack vectors creates a comprehensive compromise pathway that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1078.004 for valid accounts. The hardcoded JWT essentially provides a backdoor credential that bypasses normal authentication mechanisms, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it requires no valid user credentials to initiate exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation grants attackers complete control over the affected wireless infrastructure. This level of access enables comprehensive network reconnaissance, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the network environment. Attackers can deploy malicious firmware updates, modify network configurations, or establish persistent access points that could remain undetected for extended periods. The vulnerability's default non-enablement status provides some protection, but this mitigation is insufficient as it relies on proper configuration management and security awareness. Organizations utilizing Cisco WLCs must consider this vulnerability as a critical threat to their wireless network infrastructure, particularly in environments where wireless access points are configured for out-of-band management.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate configuration reviews to disable the Out-of-Band AP Image Download feature when not required, as this represents the most effective immediate defense. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of affected systems to untrusted networks. Regular security audits should include verification of hardcoded credentials within network infrastructure devices, with automated scanning tools configured to identify similar security flaws across the enterprise. The remediation process should involve applying Cisco's official security patches and updates as they become available, while also implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous file upload activities. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control policies that restrict HTTPS traffic to only authorized management interfaces and establish incident response procedures that specifically address this type of remote code execution vulnerability. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper credential management and the dangers of embedded authentication mechanisms that persist across system updates and reboots.