HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2023-20246
MEDIUM

CVE-2023-20246

CWE-290Published: November 1, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

5.3
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Multiple Cisco products are affected by a vulnerability in Snort access control policies that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass the configured policies on an affected system.

This vulnerability is due to a logic error that occurs when the access control policies are being populated. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by establishing a connection to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to bypass configured access control rules on the affected system.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-20246 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

Cisco2 product(s)
firepower threat defenseios xe
snort1 product(s)
snort
Source: NVD CPE · 3 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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Official Patches & Advisories

All References (2)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2023-20246
CVSS Score5.3 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-290
CISA KEVNo
Affected2 vendor(s)
PublishedNov 1, 2023

Related CVEs (CWE-290)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2023-20246 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.