CVE-2023-20178
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2023-20178 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | cisco |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2023-06-28 15:15:09 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-10-08 22:17:22 UTC |
| Description | A vulnerability in the client update process of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Software for Windows and Cisco Secure Client Software for Windows could allow a low-privileged, authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges to those of SYSTEM. The client update process is executed after a successful VPN connection is established. This vulnerability exists because improper permissions are assigned to a temporary directory that is created during the update process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by abusing a specific function of the Windows installer process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute code with SYSTEM privileges. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 7.8 HIGH from [email protected]
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS: 0.053740000 probability, percentile 0.926380000 (date 2026-10-29)
Problem Types: CWE-276 | CWE-276 Incorrect Default Permissions
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Primary | 7.8 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Secondary | 7.8 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | CNA | CVSSV3_1 | 7.8 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
LocalAttack Complexity
LowPrivileges Required
LowUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD Known Affected Configurations (CPE 2.3)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version | Update | Edition | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | Cisco | Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client | All | All | All | All |
| Application | Cisco | Secure Client | All | All | All | All |
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.9.00086 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.9.01095 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.9.02028 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.9.03047 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.9.03049 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.9.04043 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.9.04053 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.9.05042 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.9.06037 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.00093 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.01075 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.02086 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.03104 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.04065 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.04071 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.05085 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.05095 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.05111 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.06079 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 4.10.06090 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 5.0.00238 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 5.0.00529 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 5.0.00556 | Not specified |
| CNA | Cisco | Cisco Secure Client | affected 5.0.01242 | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Software for Windows and Cisco Secure Client Software for Windows Privilege Escalation Vulnerability | af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 | sec.cloudapps.cisco.com | Vendor Advisory |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
No vendor comments have been submitted for this CVE.
Additional Advisory Data
Exploits
CNA: The Cisco PSIRT is aware that proof-of-concept exploit code is available for the vulnerability that is described in this advisory.
Legacy QID Mappings
- 378559 Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Software and Cisco Secure Client Software for Windows Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (cisco-sa-ac-csc-privesc-wx4U4Kw)