CVE-2022-20703
Published: March 3, 2022
Official Description
A vulnerability in Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers could allow an attacker to do any of the following: Execute arbitrary code elevate privileges, execute arbitrary commands, bypass authentication and authorization protections, fetch and run unsigned software, or cause a denial of service (DoS).
CISA KEV Advisory
Cisco Small Business RV Series Routers Stack-based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability
A vulnerability in Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers could allow an attacker to do any of the following: Execute arbitrary code elevate privileges, execute arbitrary commands, bypass authentication and authorization protections, fetch and run unsigned software, or cause a denial of service (DoS).
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Risk Analysis
This vulnerability in Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers is highly critical, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code, elevate privileges, bypass authentication, and cause denial of service. Despite the absence of a CVSS score, its HIGH severity and confirmed exploitation in the wild by CISA demand immediate attention. The EPSS score of 0.02001, while low, is overridden by the confirmed active exploitation.
This vulnerability is actively being exploited in the wild, as confirmed by its inclusion in CISA's KEV catalog. The broad range of potential impacts suggests it is remotely exploitable with low complexity.
Organizations should apply the latest security updates for Cisco Small Business RV160, RV260, RV340, and RV345 Series Routers. Restricting administrative access and segmenting networks can also help limit potential damage.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2022-20703 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
CISA has added CVE-2022-20703 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. U.S. federal agencies are required to patch this within the mandated timeframe, and all organizations should treat remediation as urgent.
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (1)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2022-20703 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
- !CISA KEV: Federal agencies must patch per BOD 22-01 timeline
- !Active exploitation confirmed — treat as P1