Is CVE-2023-20046 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2023-20046 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2023-20046 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2023-20046 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-20046?

CVE-2023-20046 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH).

HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2023-20046

HIGH

CVE-2023-20046

CWE-289Published: May 9, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

8.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

A vulnerability in the key-based SSH authentication feature of Cisco StarOS Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to elevate privileges on an affected device.

This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied credentials. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a valid low-privileged SSH key to an affected device from a host that has an IP address that is configured as the source for a high-privileged user account. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to log in to the affected device through SSH as a high-privileged user.

There are workarounds that address this vulnerability.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-20046 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 8.8.