CVE-2023-20009

HIGH

7.2

CVSS Score

Published: February 16, 2023 at 03:25 PM UTC

Updated: June 17, 2026 at 05:29 AM UTC

3 products affected across 1 vendorEmail Security ApplianceContent Security Management ApplianceCisco Secure Email and Web Manager

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Severity

HIGH7.2

Exploit prediction

EPSS 2%

Description

A vulnerability in the Web UI and administrative CLI of the Cisco Secure Email Gateway (ESA) and Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager (SMA) could allow an authenticated remote attacker and or authenticated local attacker to escalate their privilege level and gain root access. The attacker has to have a valid user credential with at least a [[privilege of operator - validate actual name]]. The vulnerability is due to the processing of a specially crafted SNMP configuration file. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the targeted device and uploading a specially crafted SNMP configuration file that when uploaded could allow for the execution of commands as root. An exploit could allow the attacker to gain root access on the device.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Content Security Management Appliance · Cisco

95%

v < 12.8.1-02113.8.0 ≤ v < 13.8.1-10814.0.0 ≤ v < 14.2.0-22414.3.0 ≤ v < 14.3.0-120

Affected range stops below 12.8.1-021, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 13.8.1-108, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 14.2.0-224, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 14.3.0-120, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Email Security Appliance · Cisco

95%

v < 12.5.3-04113.0.0 ≤ v < 13.0.5-00713.5.0 ≤ v < 13.5.4-03814.0.0 ≤ v < 14.2.1-02014.3.0 ≤ v < 14.3.0-03211.0.3-238 11.1.0-128 11.1.0-131 11.1.0-69 12.0.0-419 12.1.0-71 12.1.0-87 12.1.0-89 12.5.0-66 13.0.0-392 13.5.1-277 14.0.0-698 14.2.0-620

Affected range stops below 12.5.3-041, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 13.0.5-007, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 13.5.4-038, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 14.2.1-020, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 14.3.0-032, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

Patch and advisory references

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-esa-sma-privesc-9DVkFpJ8

References (1)

Vendor Advisory

Source: [email protected]

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-esa-sma-privesc-9DVkFpJ8

CVSS

7.2HIGH[email protected]

Attack Vector: NETWORK
Complexity: LOW
Privileges: HIGH
User Interaction: NONE
Scope: UNCHANGED
Confidentiality: HIGH
Integrity: HIGH
Availability: HIGH

Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED

CWE

CWE-20CWE-434

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