CVE-2025-20160
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-09-24

Last updated on: 2025-09-26

Assigner: Cisco Systems, Inc.

Description
A vulnerability in the implementation of the TACACS+ protocol in Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to view sensitive data or bypass authentication. This vulnerability exists because the system does not properly check whether the required TACACS+ shared secret is configured. A machine-in-the-middle attacker could exploit this vulnerability by intercepting and reading unencrypted TACACS+ messages or impersonating the TACACS+ server and falsely accepting arbitrary authentication requests. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view sensitive information in a TACACS+ message or bypass authentication and gain access to the affected device.
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Meta Information
Published
2025-09-24
Last Modified
2025-09-26
Generated
2026-05-07
AI Q&A
2025-09-24
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
cisco ios_xe *
cisco ios *
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-287 When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability in Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software's TACACS+ protocol implementation allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to intercept or impersonate TACACS+ communications. It occurs because the system does not properly verify if the required TACACS+ shared secret is configured. An attacker could perform a man-in-the-middle attack to read unencrypted TACACS+ messages or impersonate the TACACS+ server, potentially viewing sensitive data or bypassing authentication.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to view sensitive information transmitted in TACACS+ messages or bypass authentication controls, gaining unauthorized access to affected devices. This could lead to compromise of network devices and potentially broader network security breaches.


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