A vulnerability in the Cisco Cluster Management Protocol (CMP) processing code in Cisco IOS and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauth…

Published 9 y ago 2017-03-17 · modified 4 mo ago 2026-06-17 · JSON

CVSS

9.8

v3.1 · CNA

CISA KEV

Yes

added 2022-03-25

EPSS

99.0%

percentile 100%

Public exploits

Metasploit · Exploit-DB · Nuclei check

A vulnerability in the Cisco Cluster Management Protocol (CMP) processing code in Cisco IOS and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a reload of an affected device or remotely execute code with elevated privileges. The Cluster Management Protocol utilizes Telnet internally as a signaling and command protocol between cluster members. The vulnerability is due to the combination of two factors: (1) the failure to restrict the use of CMP-specific Telnet options only to internal, local communications between cluster members and instead accept and process such options over any Telnet connection to an affected device; and (2) the incorrect processing of malformed CMP-specific Telnet options. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending malformed CMP-specific Telnet options while establishing a Telnet session with an affected Cisco device configured to accept Telnet connections. An exploit could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code and obtain full control of the device or cause a reload of the affected device. This affects Catalyst switches, Embedded Service 2020 switches, Enhanced Layer 2 EtherSwitch Service Module, Enhanced Layer 2/3 EtherSwitch Service Module, Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module (CGESM) for HP, IE Industrial Ethernet switches, ME 4924-10GE switch, RF Gateway 10, and SM-X Layer 2/3 EtherSwitch Service Module. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvd48893.

Known exploited (CISA KEV)

Added: 4 y ago 2022-03-25
Due date: 2022-04-15 (4 y ago)
Ransomware use: Unknown
Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Vendor / product: Cisco / IOS and IOS XE
CISA name: Cisco IOS and IOS XE Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CISA SSVC assessment

Exploitation: Active — exploited in the wild
Automatable: yes
Technical impact: total
Assessed: 23 mo ago 2024-11-08

Exploit prediction (EPSS)

98.98% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 100% of all scored CVEs.

Exploits and detections

Nuclei template Cisco IOS 12.2(55)SE11 - Remote Code Execution · nuclei detection template
Metasploit auxiliary/dos/cisco/ios_telnet_rocem Cisco IOS Telnet Denial of Service · metasploit auxiliary, normal rank · 2017-03-17
EDB-42122 Cisco Catalyst 2960 IOS 12.2(55)SE1 - 'ROCEM' Remote Code Execution · remote · 2017-04-12
EDB-41872 Cisco Catalyst 2960 IOS 12.2(55)SE11 - 'ROCEM' Remote Code Execution · remote · 2017-04-12

CVSS scores

Assigned by	Version	Score	Vector
CISA ADP	3.1	9.8	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`
NVD	3.1	9.8	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`
CNA	3.1	9.8	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`
NVD	2.0	10.0	`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`

Affected products

n/a Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software

Classification

Weakness

CWE-20 Improper Input Validation

Technology feeds

Cisco IOS (RSS, critical only)

References

exploit-db.com /exploits/41872/ · exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB, x_transferred
exploit-db.com /exploits/41874/ · exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB, x_transferred
securityfocus.com /bid/97391 · vdb-entry, x_refsource_BID, x_transferred
securityfocus.com /bid/96960 · vdb-entry, x_refsource_BID, x_transferred
tools.cisco.com /security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20170317-cmp · x_refsource_CONFIRM, x_transferred
securitytracker.com /id/1038059 · vdb-entry, x_refsource_SECTRACK, x_transferred
cisa.gov /known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-3881 · government-resource

Sources

CVE List: CVE-2017-3881
NVD: CVE-2017-3881

vulnwire keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA; records that alias each other are merged. Machine-readable: JSON.

Summary