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CVE Record

CVE-2020-3208: Cisco IOS Software for Cisco 800 Series Industrial Integrated Services Routers Image Verification Bypass Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the image verification feature of Cisco IOS Software for Cisco 809 and 829 Industrial Integrated Services Routers (Industrial ISRs) could allow an authenticated, local attacker to boot a malicious software image on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient access restrictions on the area of code that manages the image verification feature. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by first authenticating to the targeted device and then logging in to the Virtual Device Server (VDS) of an affected device. The attacker could then, from the VDS shell, disable Cisco IOS Software integrity (image) verification. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to boot a malicious Cisco IOS Software image on the targeted device. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid user credentials at privilege level 15.

MediumCVSS 6.7Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This flaw affects Cisco 809 and 829 Industrial ISR routers. A highly privileged local user could bypass IOS image verification and boot malicious router software. That could give full control of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the device, but exploitation requires valid privilege level 15 credentials and local/VDS access.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted infrastructure integrity risk, not an internet-scale emergency. Prioritize environments where these industrial routers support critical operations or where privileged access controls are weak.

Technical view

Cisco describes insufficient access restrictions around the image verification feature. An authenticated local attacker with privilege level 15 access could use the device’s Virtual Device Server context to disable IOS image integrity verification and boot a malicious IOS image. CVSS 3.0 is 6.7 with local access and high privileges required.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to organizations operating Cisco 809 or 829 Industrial Integrated Services Routers with affected Cisco IOS Software, including Cisco IOS 12.2(60)EZ16 as listed in the bundle. Risk is highest where many administrators have privilege level 15 access or VDS access is weakly governed.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. Exploitation is not remote unauthenticated; it requires valid high-privilege credentials and local access to the affected device environment. The business impact is serious if an attacker already has that foothold.

Researcher notes

The key constraint is attacker precondition: authenticated local access with privilege level 15. The key impact is bypassing image verification, enabling malicious IOS image boot. The bundle does not provide confirmed exploit activity, public exploit details, or specific fixed-release information.

Mitigation direction

  • Check Cisco’s advisory for fixed software and supported remediation guidance.
  • Inventory Cisco 809 and 829 Industrial ISRs and their IOS versions.
  • Restrict privilege level 15 accounts to named, necessary administrators only.
  • Review and limit access to the Virtual Device Server on affected routers.
  • Audit router software image sources and boot configuration change controls.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm whether Cisco 809 or 829 Industrial ISRs are deployed.
  • Compare running IOS versions against Cisco’s advisory and asset records.
  • Review accounts with privilege level 15 access on affected routers.
  • Check administrative logs for unexpected VDS access or image verification changes.
  • Verify boot images match approved Cisco software sources.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
3

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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CVE-2020-3208 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
6.7 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
2Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
6.7CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H0.85.9Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

6.7Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2020-3208Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
CiscoCisco IOS 12.2(60)EZ16n/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

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