CVE-2023-20100: Cisco IOS XE Software for Wireless LAN Controllers CAPWAP Join Denial of Service Vulnerability
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 27/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.77% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 55.4% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
- According to the record, no fixed version is available yet.
- Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).
Low priority for now. Update when a fix is released; follow the vendor's advisory.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
A vulnerability in the access point (AP) joining process of the Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) protocol of Cisco IOS XE Software for Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to a logic error that occurs when certain conditions are met during the AP joining process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by adding an AP that is under their control to the network. The attacker then must ensure that the AP successfully joins an affected wireless controller under certain conditions. Additionally, the attacker would need the ability to restart a valid AP that was previously connected to the controller. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the affected device to restart unexpectedly, resulting in a DoS condition.
- Published
- Mar 23, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.7% · 55th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-694
Report tools
Action score
27
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 27 / 40 · 6.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.7%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 6.8
- CNA · cisco
- 6.8
- agree
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- No fixed version yet
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| cisco | ios xe | cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe |
| cisco | catalyst 9800 | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800 |
| cisco | catalyst 9800-40 | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800-40 |
| cisco | catalyst 9800-40 wireless controller | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800-40_wireless_controller |
| cisco | catalyst 9800-80 | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800-80 |
| cisco | catalyst 9800-80 wireless controller | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800-80_wireless_controller |
| cisco | catalyst 9800-cl | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800-cl |
| cisco | catalyst 9800-l | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800-l |
| cisco | catalyst 9800-l-c | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800-l-c |
| cisco | catalyst 9800-l-f | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800-l-f |
| cisco | catalyst 9800 embedded wireless controller | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:catalyst_9800_embedded_wireless_controller |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- cisco ios xe17.10.1
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (cisco). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Cisco Cisco IOS XE Software
- n/aaffected
Same product
cisco: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2023-20198Cisco is providing an update for the ongoing investigation into observed exploitation of the web UI feature in Cisco IOS XE Software.KEV100Now
- CVE-2023-20273A vulnerability in the web UI feature of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to inject commands with the priKEV86Now
- CVE-2018-0151A vulnerability in the quality of service (QoS) subsystem of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, reKEV73This week
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2023-20072Mar 23, 2023 · Cisco IOS XE Software Fragmented Tunnel Protocol Packet Denial of Service Vulnerability34Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2023-20082Mar 23, 2023 · Cisco IOS XE Software for Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches Secure Boot Bypass Vulnerability27Monitor
- Later →CVE-2023-20033Sep 27, 2023 · A vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE Software for Cisco Catalyst 3650 and Catalyst 3850 Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, remote at34Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)
Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.
- TR-23-0171 · Mar 24, 2023(Cisco Güvenlik Güncellemesi)
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- High
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-694 · Use of Multiple Resources with Duplicate IdentifierCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.