Cisco Secure Network Analytics: Authenticated RCE via Malicious Backup File
CVE-2025-20178 Published on April 16, 2025

Cisco Secure Network Analytics Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Secure Network Analytics could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with valid administrative credentials to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system. This vulnerability is due to insufficient integrity checks within device backup files. An attacker with valid administrative credentials could exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious backup file and restoring it to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain shell access on the underlying operating system with the privileges of root.

NVD

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2025-20178 is exploitable with local system access, and requires user privileges. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to have a high impact on confidentiality and integrity, and no impact on availability.

Attack Vector:
LOCAL
Attack Complexity:
LOW
Privileges Required:
HIGH
User Interaction:
NONE
Scope:
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality Impact:
HIGH
Integrity Impact:
HIGH
Availability Impact:
NONE

Weakness Type

Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature

The software does not verify, or incorrectly verifies, the cryptographic signature for data.


Products Associated with CVE-2025-20178

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Affected Versions

Cisco Secure Network Analytics:

Exploit Probability

EPSS
0.13%
Percentile
32.41%

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.