CVE-2020-3524

MEDIUM

Cisco IOS XE ROM Monitor < 16.2(1r) - Unauthenticated Secure Boot Bypass via Debugging Configuration Option

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

A vulnerability in the Cisco IOS XE ROM Monitor (ROMMON) Software for Cisco 4000 Series Integrated Services Routers, Cisco ASR 920 Series Aggregation Services Routers, Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers, and Cisco cBR-8 Converged Broadband Routers could allow an unauthenticated, physical attacker to break the chain of trust and load a compromised software image on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to the presence of a debugging configuration option in the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting to an affected device through the console, forcing the device into ROMMON mode, and writing a malicious pattern using that specific option on the device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to break the chain of trust and load a compromised software image on the affected device. A compromised software image is any software image that has not been digitally signed by Cisco.

References (1)

Core 1
Core References

Scores

CVSS v3 6.8
EPSS 0.0007
EPSS Percentile 22.0%
Attack Vector PHYSICAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact total

Details

CWE
CWE-284 CWE-862
Status published
Products (1)
cisco/ios_xe_rom_monitor < 16.2\(1r\)
Published Sep 24, 2020
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026