# What is CVE-2023-20003?

> CVE-2023-20003 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 8.8) in Business 140ac Access Point Firmware from Cisco, published on 18 May 2023. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 0.3%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2023-20003

## At a glance

- **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.
- **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 47 out of 100 (Medium); action: Plan remediation. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** High (CVSS 8.8 out of 10)
- **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today
- **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 0.3% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 18 May 2023
- **Record last updated:** 7 November 2023
- **Main product:** Business 140ac Access Point Firmware from Cisco
- **Affected products:** 16

## What is CVE-2023-20003? In plain terms

An attacker has to be on the same local network without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

### The official description

A vulnerability in the social login configuration option for the guest users of Cisco Business Wireless Access Points (APs) could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to bypass social login authentication. This vulnerability is due to a logic error with the social login implementation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by attempting to authenticate to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to access the Guest Portal without authentication.

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function
- CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: On the same local network
- How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions
- Login needed first: No login needed
- Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker gets: Can read data, change data and take it offline

Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Is CVE-2023-20003 being exploited? Not that we know of

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.3%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.3%.

### Timeline

- 18 May 2023: Published
- 7 November 2023: Record last updated

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2023-20003 scores **47 out of 100 (Medium)**, with the action "Plan remediation".

Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less:

- Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor
- How severe it is: strong factor
- How widely exposed it is: smaller factor
- Threat activity around it: smaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

## Who is affected by CVE-2023-20003?

The published record lists 16 products. Versions are as published: "before 10.8.1.0" means every version up to, but not including, 10.8.1.0.

- [Business 140ac Access Point Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_140ac_access_point_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): before 10.8.1.0
- [Business 140ac Access Point](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_140ac_access_point) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Business 141acm](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_141acm) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Business 141acm Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_141acm_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): before 10.8.1.0
- [Business 142acm](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_142acm) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Business 142acm Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_142acm_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): before 10.8.1.0
- [Business 143acm](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_143acm) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Business 143acm Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_143acm_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): before 10.8.1.0
- [Business 145ac Access Point](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_145ac_access_point) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Business 145ac Access Point Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_145ac_access_point_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): before 10.8.1.0
- [Business 150ax Access Point](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_150ax_access_point) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Business 150ax Access Point Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_150ax_access_point_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 10.4.2
- [Business 151axm](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_151axm) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Business 151axm Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_151axm_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 10.4.2
- [Business 240ac Access Point](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_240ac_access_point) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Business 240ac Access Point Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/business_240ac_access_point_firmware) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): before 10.8.1.0

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20003?

1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisory first in the list.
3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

### References

- [sec.cloudapps.cisco.com](https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cbw-auth-bypass-ggnAfdZ) (Vendor advisory)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2023-20003?

CVE-2023-20003 is a high-severity flaw in Business 140ac Access Point Firmware from Cisco, published on 18 May 2023. An attacker has to be on the same local network without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

### How serious is CVE-2023-20003?

It scores 8.8 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2023-20003 is 47 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.

### Is CVE-2023-20003 being exploited?

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.3%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

### Which versions does CVE-2023-20003 affect?

For Business 140ac Access Point Firmware from Cisco: before 10.8.1.0. The record lists 16 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2023-20003?

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

## Does CVE-2023-20003 affect you?

Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you:

- **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.

Start free (no card, nothing to install): https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register
Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact