CVE-2020-3284
9.8 · CRITICALOverview
CVE-2020-3284 is a critical-severity vulnerability affecting cisco a9k-rsp880-se_firmware. It was published on November 6, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical Description
A vulnerability in the enhanced Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) boot loader for Cisco IOS XR 64-bit Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute unsigned code during the PXE boot process on an affected device. The PXE boot loader is part of the BIOS and runs over the management interface of hardware platforms that are running Cisco IOS XR Software only. The vulnerability exists because internal commands that are issued when the PXE network boot process is loading a software image are not properly verified. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by compromising the PXE boot server and replacing a valid software image with a malicious one. Alternatively, the attacker could impersonate the PXE boot server and send a PXE boot reply with a malicious file. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute unsigned code on the affected device. Note: To fix this vulnerability, both the Cisco IOS XR Software and the BIOS must be upgraded. The BIOS code is
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update a9k-rsp880-se_firmware to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| cisco | a9k-rsp880-se_firmware | >= 0, < 10.65 | Affected |
| cisco | ios_xr | >= 0, < 6.5.2 | Affected |
| cisco | a9k-rsp880-tr_firmware | >= 0, < 10.65 | Affected |
| cisco | a99-rp2-se_firmware | >= 0, < 14.35 | Affected |
| cisco | a99-rp2-tr_firmware | >= 0, < 14.35 | Affected |
| cisco | a99-rsp-se_firmware | >= 0, < 16.14 | Affected |
| cisco | a99-rsp-tr_firmware | >= 0, < 16.14 | Affected |
| cisco | a9k-rsp880-lt-se_firmware | >= 0, < 17.34 | Affected |
| cisco | a9k-rsp880-lt-tr_firmware | >= 0, < 17.34 | Affected |
| cisco | asr-9901-rp_firmware | >= 0, < 22.20 | Affected |
| cisco | a99-rp3-se_firmware | >= 0, < 30.23 | Affected |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2020-3284?
CVE-2020-3284 is a critical-severity vulnerability affecting cisco a9k-rsp880-se_firmware. It was published on November 6, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).
How severe is CVE-2020-3284?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2020-3284?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update a9k-rsp880-se_firmware to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2020-3284?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2020-3284 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
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