Is CVE-2023-20273 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2023-20273 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on October 23, 2023.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2023-20273?

CVE-2023-20273 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2 (HIGH).

CVE-2023-20273

HIGH · CVSS 7.2CISA KEV: actively exploitedEPSS 89.6%EU EUVD: exploited

A vulnerability in the web UI feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to inject commands with the privileges of root. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted input to the web UI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to inject commands to the underlying operating system with root privileges.

Key facts

CVSS score: 7.2 (v3.1)
Severity: HIGH
CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness (CWE): CWE-78
EPSS score: 89.6% (100th percentile)
In CISA KEV: Yes, added October 23, 2023
In EU EUVD: Yes (EUVD-2023-24452)
Published: October 25, 2023
NVD last modified: June 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability

Cisco IOS XE Web UI Command Injection Vulnerability

Added to the KEV catalog on October 23, 2023; federal remediation due October 27, 2023.

EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD)

This vulnerability is also tracked by ENISA as EUVD-2023-24452 in the EU Vulnerability Database. ENISA flags it as known exploited. Last updated in EUVD on October 21, 2025.

View on the EU Vulnerability Database

Affected products

cisco / catalyst 3650
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48fd-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48fd-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48fd-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48uq
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48uq-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48uq-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48uq-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48ur
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48ur-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48ur-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48ur-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48uz
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48uz-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48uz-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-12x48uz-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-24pd
cisco / catalyst 3650-24pd-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-24pd-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-24pd-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-24pdm
cisco / catalyst 3650-24pdm-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-24pdm-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-24pdm-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-24ps-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-24ps-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-24ps-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-24td-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-24td-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-24td-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-24ts-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-24ts-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-24ts-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fd-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fd-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fd-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fq
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fq-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fq-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fq-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fqm
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fqm-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fqm-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fqm-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fs-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fs-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-48fs-s
cisco / catalyst 3650-48pd-e
cisco / catalyst 3650-48pd-l
cisco / catalyst 3650-48pd-s

and 259 more…

Certified products that may be affected

8 FIPS 140 or Common Criteria certified products, from automated matching by sec-certs.org.

Cisco Embedded Services 9300 and 3300 Series Switches (ESS9300 & ESS3300) running IOS-XE 17.12 - Cisco Systems, Inc. - Common Criteria CCEVS-VR-VID-11521-2025 - active
Cisco cEdge Routers running IOS XE 17.12 with SD-WAN 20.12 - Cisco Systems, Inc. - Common Criteria 654-LSS - active
Cisco Catalyst Industrial Ethernet 3100 (IE3100) Rugged Series Switches running IOS-XE 17.12 - Cisco Systems, Inc. - Common Criteria CCEVS-VR-VID-11490-2024 - archived
Cisco Catalyst Industrial Ethernet 9300 Rugged Series Switches running IOS-XE 17.12 - Cisco Systems, Inc. - Common Criteria CCEVS-VR-VID-11466-2024 - archived
Cisco Catalyst Industrial Ethernet 3200, 3300, 3400, 3400H (IE3x00) Rugged Series Switches running IOS-XE 17.12 - Cisco Systems, Inc. - Common Criteria CCEVS-VR-VID-11443-2024 - archived

See all 8 in the Security Certifications Explorer.

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-iosxe-webui-privesc-j22SaA4z(Vendor Advisory)
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-20273(US Government Resource)

Last updated September 17, 2026 · Source: NVD, CISA KEV, FIRST.org EPSS

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