Cisco IOS XR Software Privilege Escalation Vulnerability via CLI

A vulnerability exists in the Command Line Interface (CLI) of Cisco IOS XR Software, allowing authenticated, local attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of affected devices. This issue arises from inadequate validation of user arguments in specific CLI commands. Attackers with low-privileged accounts can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted commands at the prompt, potentially leading to unauthorized privilege escalation and execution of arbitrary commands.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability allows for unauthorized privilege escalation, enabling low-privileged users to execute arbitrary commands as root on the affected device's operating system.

Reproduction

The vulnerability can be reproduced by an authenticated, local user with a low-privileged account. The user can send crafted commands through the CLI that exploit the insufficient validation of user arguments, leading to privilege escalation and execution of arbitrary commands as root.

Remediation

Cisco has released free software updates to address this vulnerability. Customers with service contracts should obtain these updates through their usual channels. For information on specific fixed releases, consult the Cisco IOS XR Software Security Advisory.