Cisco IOS XE Implant Detection Vulnerability Scanner

Cisco IOS XE is an enterprise-class operating system supporting the next-generation platforms and hardware. It's widely used across various Cisco devices, including routers and switches, for its rich feature set and flexibility to support both traditional and SD-WAN networks. Cisco IOS XE plays a crucial role in the infrastructure of many organizations, providing the backbone for both internal and external communications.

The Cisco IOS XE Implant Detection scanner targets a critical vulnerability that has been actively exploited in the wild. This vulnerability enables unauthenticated, remote attackers to create high-privilege accounts on affected systems, gaining full control over the device. The exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to a complete compromise of the network infrastructure, posing a severe security risk to affected organizations.

The vulnerability is specifically related to the web UI feature of Cisco IOS XE Software. Attackers exploit this vulnerability by leveraging the system's exposure to the internet or untrusted networks, allowing them to bypass authentication mechanisms and create privilege level 15 accounts. This scanner checks for signs of such exploitation by sending crafted requests to the web UI endpoints and analyzing responses for known patterns indicative of compromise.

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to gain complete control over the network device, potentially leading to further network compromise, data exfiltration, denial of service attacks, and a broad range of other malicious activities. This poses a significant threat to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the network infrastructure and the data it carries.

By leveraging the security scanning capabilities provided by S4E, users can detect and address vulnerabilities like the Cisco IOS XE implant before they lead to a security breach. Our platform offers comprehensive vulnerability assessment tools designed to identify potential security risks, enabling organizations to proactively secure their network infrastructure against emerging threats. Join S4E today to enhance your cybersecurity posture and protect your digital assets.

References

• https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-iosxe-webui-privesc-j22SaA4z
• https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisco-warns-of-new-ios-xe-zero-day-actively-exploited-in-attacks/
• https://socradar.io/cisco-warns-of-exploitation-of-a-maximum-severity-zero-day-vulnerability-in-ios-xe-cve-2023-20198
• https://github.com/vulncheck-oss/cisco-ios-xe-implant-scanner/blob/main/implant-scanner.go