Cisco IOS TACACS+ Shared Secret Missing Remote Data Exposure/Auth Bypass
CVE-2025-20160 Published on September 24, 2025
A vulnerability in the implementation of the TACACS+ protocol in Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to view sensitive data or bypass authentication. This vulnerability exists because the system does not properly check whether the required TACACS+ shared secret is configured. A machine-in-the-middle attacker could exploit this vulnerability by intercepting and reading unencrypted TACACS+ messages or impersonating the TACACS+ server and falsely accepting arbitrary authentication requests. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view sensitive information in a TACACS+ message or bypass authentication and gain access to the affected device.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2025-20160 is exploitable with network access, and does not require authorization privileges or user interaction. This vulnerability is consided to have a high level of attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to be very high.
Attack Vector:
NETWORK
Attack Complexity:
HIGH
Privileges Required:
NONE
User Interaction:
NONE
Scope:
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality Impact:
HIGH
Integrity Impact:
HIGH
Availability Impact:
HIGH
Weakness Type
What is an authentification Vulnerability?
When an actor claims to have a given identity, the software does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.
CVE-2025-20160 has been classified to as an authentification vulnerability or weakness.
Products Associated with CVE-2025-20160
You can be notified by email with stack.watch whenever vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-20160 are published in these products:
Affected Versions
Cisco IOS:- Version 15.2(6)E1 is affected.
- Version 15.2(4)E6 is affected.
- Version 15.2(6)E2 is affected.
- Version 15.2(4)E7 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E is affected.
- Version 15.2(4)E8 is affected.
- Version 15.2(6)E2a is affected.
- Version 15.2(6)E2b is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E1 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E0a is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E0b is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E0s is affected.
- Version 15.2(6)E3 is affected.
- Version 15.2(4)E9 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E2 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7a)E0b is affected.
- Version 15.2(4)E10 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E3 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E1a is affected.
- Version 15.2(7b)E0b is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E2a is affected.
- Version 15.2(4)E10a is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E4 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E3k is affected.
- Version 15.2(8)E is affected.
- Version 15.2(8)E1 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E5 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E6 is affected.
- Version 15.2(8)E2 is affected.
- Version 15.2(4)E10d is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E7 is affected.
- Version 15.2(8)E3 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E8 is affected.
- Version 15.2(8)E4 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E9 is affected.
- Version 15.2(8)E5 is affected.
- Version 15.2(8)E6 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E10 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E11 is affected.
- Version 15.2(8)E7 is affected.
- Version 15.2(7)E12 is affected.
- Version 15.5(3)S8 is affected.
- Version 15.5(3)S9 is affected.
- Version 15.5(3)S10 is affected.
- Version 15.5(3)S9a is affected.
- Version 15.2(6)EB is affected.
- Version 15.5(3)M7 is affected.
- Version 15.5(3)M8 is affected.
- Version 15.5(3)M9 is affected.
- Version 15.5(3)M10 is affected.
- Version 15.6(2)SP5 is affected.
- Version 15.6(2)SP6 is affected.
- Version 15.6(2)SP7 is affected.
- Version 15.6(2)SP8 is affected.
- Version 15.6(2)SP9 is affected.
- Version 15.6(3)M4 is affected.
- Version 15.6(3)M5 is affected.
- Version 15.6(3)M6 is affected.
- Version 15.6(3)M7 is affected.
- Version 15.6(3)M6a is affected.
- Version 15.6(3)M6b is affected.
- Version 15.6(3)M8 is affected.
- Version 15.6(3)M9 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY2 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY3 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY4 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY5 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY6 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY7 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY8 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY9 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY10 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY11 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY12 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY13 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY14 is affected.
- Version 15.5(1)SY15 is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M3 is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M2 is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M4 is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M5 is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M4a is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M4b is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M6 is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M7 is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M8 is affected.
- Version 15.7(3)M9 is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M1 is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M0a is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M0b is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M2 is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M1a is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M3 is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M2a is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M4 is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M3a is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M3b is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M5 is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M6 is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M7 is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M8 is affected.
- Version 15.8(3)M9 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M1 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M0a is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M2 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M3 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M2a is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M3a is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M4 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M3b is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M5 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M4a is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M6 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M7 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M6a is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M6b is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M8 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M7a is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M9 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M8b is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M10 is affected.
- Version 15.9(3)M11 is affected.
- Version 3.16.8S is affected.
- Version 3.16.9S is affected.
- Version 3.16.10S is affected.
- Version 3.8.6E is affected.
- Version 3.8.7E is affected.
- Version 3.8.8E is affected.
- Version 3.8.9E is affected.
- Version 3.8.10E is affected.
- Version 3.18.5SP is affected.
- Version 3.18.6SP is affected.
- Version 3.18.7SP is affected.
- Version 3.18.8aSP is affected.
- Version 3.18.9SP is affected.
- Version 16.6.5 is affected.
- Version 16.6.5a is affected.
- Version 16.6.6 is affected.
- Version 16.6.7 is affected.
- Version 16.6.8 is affected.
- Version 16.6.9 is affected.
- Version 16.6.10 is affected.
- Version 16.8.1 is affected.
- Version 16.8.1a is affected.
- Version 16.8.1b is affected.
- Version 16.8.1s is affected.
- Version 16.8.1c is affected.
- Version 16.8.1d is affected.
- Version 16.8.2 is affected.
- Version 16.8.1e is affected.
- Version 16.8.3 is affected.
- Version 16.9.1 is affected.
- Version 16.9.2 is affected.
- Version 16.9.1a is affected.
- Version 16.9.1b is affected.
- Version 16.9.1s is affected.
- Version 16.9.3 is affected.
- Version 16.9.4 is affected.
- Version 16.9.3a is affected.
- Version 16.9.5 is affected.
- Version 16.9.5f is affected.
- Version 16.9.6 is affected.
- Version 16.9.7 is affected.
- Version 16.9.8 is affected.
- Version 16.10.1 is affected.
- Version 16.10.1a is affected.
- Version 16.10.1b is affected.
- Version 16.10.1s is affected.
- Version 16.10.1c is affected.
- Version 16.10.1e is affected.
- Version 16.10.1d is affected.
- Version 16.10.2 is affected.
- Version 16.10.1f is affected.
- Version 16.10.1g is affected.
- Version 16.10.3 is affected.
- Version 3.10.1E is affected.
- Version 3.10.2E is affected.
- Version 3.10.3E is affected.
- Version 16.11.1 is affected.
- Version 16.11.1a is affected.
- Version 16.11.1b is affected.
- Version 16.11.2 is affected.
- Version 16.11.1s is affected.
- Version 16.12.1 is affected.
- Version 16.12.1s is affected.
- Version 16.12.1a is affected.
- Version 16.12.1c is affected.
- Version 16.12.1w is affected.
- Version 16.12.2 is affected.
- Version 16.12.1y is affected.
- Version 16.12.2a is affected.
- Version 16.12.3 is affected.
- Version 16.12.8 is affected.
- Version 16.12.2s is affected.
- Version 16.12.1x is affected.
- Version 16.12.1t is affected.
- Version 16.12.4 is affected.
- Version 16.12.3s is affected.
- Version 16.12.3a is affected.
- Version 16.12.4a is affected.
- Version 16.12.5 is affected.
- Version 16.12.6 is affected.
- Version 16.12.1z1 is affected.
- Version 16.12.5a is affected.
- Version 16.12.5b is affected.
- Version 16.12.1z2 is affected.
- Version 16.12.6a is affected.
- Version 16.12.7 is affected.
- Version 16.12.9 is affected.
- Version 16.12.10 is affected.
- Version 16.12.10a is affected.
- Version 16.12.11 is affected.
- Version 16.12.12 is affected.
- Version 16.12.13 is affected.
- Version 3.11.0E is affected.
- Version 3.11.1E is affected.
- Version 3.11.2E is affected.
- Version 3.11.3E is affected.
- Version 3.11.1aE is affected.
- Version 3.11.4E is affected.
- Version 3.11.3aE is affected.
- Version 3.11.5E is affected.
- Version 3.11.6E is affected.
- Version 3.11.7E is affected.
- Version 3.11.8E is affected.
- Version 3.11.9E is affected.
- Version 3.11.10E is affected.
- Version 3.11.11E is affected.
- Version 3.11.12E is affected.
- Version 17.1.1 is affected.
- Version 17.1.1a is affected.
- Version 17.1.1s is affected.
- Version 17.1.1t is affected.
- Version 17.1.3 is affected.
- Version 17.2.1 is affected.
- Version 17.2.1r is affected.
- Version 17.2.1a is affected.
- Version 17.2.1v is affected.
- Version 17.2.2 is affected.
- Version 17.2.3 is affected.
- Version 17.3.1 is affected.
- Version 17.3.2 is affected.
- Version 17.3.3 is affected.
- Version 17.3.1a is affected.
- Version 17.3.1w is affected.
- Version 17.3.2a is affected.
- Version 17.3.1x is affected.
- Version 17.3.1z is affected.
- Version 17.3.4 is affected.
- Version 17.3.5 is affected.
- Version 17.3.4a is affected.
- Version 17.3.6 is affected.
- Version 17.3.4b is affected.
- Version 17.3.4c is affected.
- Version 17.3.5a is affected.
- Version 17.3.5b is affected.
- Version 17.3.7 is affected.
- Version 17.3.8 is affected.
- Version 17.3.8a is affected.
- Version 17.4.1 is affected.
- Version 17.4.2 is affected.
- Version 17.4.1a is affected.
- Version 17.4.1b is affected.
- Version 17.4.2a is affected.
- Version 17.5.1 is affected.
- Version 17.5.1a is affected.
- Version 17.6.1 is affected.
- Version 17.6.2 is affected.
- Version 17.6.1w is affected.
- Version 17.6.1a is affected.
- Version 17.6.1x is affected.
- Version 17.6.3 is affected.
- Version 17.6.1y is affected.
- Version 17.6.1z is affected.
- Version 17.6.3a is affected.
- Version 17.6.4 is affected.
- Version 17.6.1z1 is affected.
- Version 17.6.5 is affected.
- Version 17.6.6 is affected.
- Version 17.6.6a is affected.
- Version 17.6.5a is affected.
- Version 17.6.7 is affected.
- Version 17.6.8 is affected.
- Version 17.6.8a is affected.
- Version 17.7.1 is affected.
- Version 17.7.1a is affected.
- Version 17.7.1b is affected.
- Version 17.7.2 is affected.
- Version 17.10.1 is affected.
- Version 17.10.1a is affected.
- Version 17.10.1b is affected.
- Version 17.8.1 is affected.
- Version 17.8.1a is affected.
- Version 17.9.1 is affected.
- Version 17.9.1w is affected.
- Version 17.9.2 is affected.
- Version 17.9.1a is affected.
- Version 17.9.1x is affected.
- Version 17.9.1y is affected.
- Version 17.9.3 is affected.
- Version 17.9.2a is affected.
- Version 17.9.1x1 is affected.
- Version 17.9.3a is affected.
- Version 17.9.4 is affected.
- Version 17.9.1y1 is affected.
- Version 17.9.5 is affected.
- Version 17.9.4a is affected.
- Version 17.9.5a is affected.
- Version 17.9.5b is affected.
- Version 17.9.6 is affected.
- Version 17.9.6a is affected.
- Version 17.9.7 is affected.
- Version 17.9.5e is affected.
- Version 17.9.5f is affected.
- Version 17.9.7a is affected.
- Version 17.9.7b is affected.
- Version 17.11.1 is affected.
- Version 17.11.1a is affected.
- Version 17.12.1 is affected.
- Version 17.12.1w is affected.
- Version 17.12.1a is affected.
- Version 17.12.1x is affected.
- Version 17.12.2 is affected.
- Version 17.12.3 is affected.
- Version 17.12.2a is affected.
- Version 17.12.1y is affected.
- Version 17.12.1z is affected.
- Version 17.12.4 is affected.
- Version 17.12.3a is affected.
- Version 17.12.1z1 is affected.
- Version 17.12.1z2 is affected.
- Version 17.12.4a is affected.
- Version 17.12.5 is affected.
- Version 17.12.4b is affected.
- Version 17.12.1z3 is affected.
- Version 17.12.5a is affected.
- Version 17.12.1z4 is affected.
- Version 17.12.5b is affected.
- Version 17.12.5c is affected.
- Version 17.13.1 is affected.
- Version 17.13.1a is affected.
- Version 17.14.1 is affected.
- Version 17.14.1a is affected.
- Version 17.11.99SW is affected.
- Version 17.15.1 is affected.
- Version 17.15.1w is affected.
- Version 17.15.1a is affected.
- Version 17.15.2 is affected.
- Version 17.15.1b is affected.
- Version 17.15.1x is affected.
- Version 17.15.3 is affected.
- Version 17.15.2c is affected.
- Version 17.15.2a is affected.
- Version 17.15.1y is affected.
- Version 17.15.2b is affected.
- Version 17.15.3a is affected.
- Version 17.15.3b is affected.
Exploit Probability
EPSS
0.07%
Percentile
20.06%
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) scores estimate the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. The percentile shows you how this score compares to all other vulnerabilities.