CVE-2025-20177

Description

A vulnerability in the boot process of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to bypass Cisco IOS XR image signature verification and load unverified software on an affected device. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have root-system privileges on the affected device. This vulnerability is due to incomplete validation of files in the boot verification process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the system configuration options to bypass some of the integrity checks that are performed during the boot process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to control the boot configuration, which could enable them to bypass the requirement to run Cisco-signed images or alter the security properties of the running system. Note: Because exploitation of this vulnerability could result in the attacker bypassing Cisco image verification, Cisco has raised the Security Impact Rating (SIR) of this advisory from Medium to High.

Reserved 2024-10-10 | Published 2025-03-12 | Updated 2025-03-14 | Assigner cisco

Problem types

Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges

Product status

Default status
unknown

7.0.1
affected

7.0.0
affected

7.1.1
affected

7.0.90
affected

6.7.1
affected

7.0.2
affected

7.1.15
affected

7.2.0
affected

7.2.1
affected

7.1.2
affected

6.7.2
affected

7.0.11
affected

7.0.12
affected

7.0.14
affected

7.1.25
affected

7.2.12
affected

7.3.1
affected

7.1.3
affected

6.7.3
affected

7.4.1
affected

7.2.2
affected

6.7.4
affected

7.3.15
affected

7.3.16
affected

6.8.1
affected

7.4.15
affected

7.3.2
affected

7.5.1
affected

7.4.16
affected

7.3.27
affected

7.6.1
affected

7.5.2
affected

7.8.1
affected

7.6.15
affected

7.5.12
affected

7.3.3
affected

7.7.1
affected

6.8.2
affected

7.3.4
affected

7.4.2
affected

6.7.35
affected

6.9.1
affected

7.6.2
affected

7.5.3
affected

7.7.2
affected

6.9.2
affected

7.9.1
affected

7.10.1
affected

7.8.2
affected

7.5.4
affected

7.8.22
affected

7.7.21
affected

7.9.2
affected

7.3.5
affected

7.5.5
affected

7.11.1
affected

7.9.21
affected

7.10.2
affected

24.1.1
affected

7.6.3
affected

7.3.6
affected

7.11.2
affected

24.2.1
affected

24.1.2
affected

24.2.11
affected

24.3.1
affected

7.8.23
affected

References

sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/...o-sa-ios-xr-verii-bypass-HhPwQRvx (cisco-sa-ios-xr-verii-bypass-HhPwQRvx)

blog.apnic.net/2024/09/02/crafting-endless-as-paths-in-bgp/ (Crafting endless AS-PATHS in BGP)

cve.org (CVE-2025-20177)

nvd.nist.gov (CVE-2025-20177)

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