URGENT: Critical Cisco Vulnerability Allows Remote Command Execution with Root Privileges (CVE-2025-20188)

May 8, 2025 - Cisco has disclosed a critical vulnerability in their IOS XE Wireless Controller Software that security teams need to address immediately. This high-severity flaw scores a perfect 10.0 on the CVSS scale – the most dangerous rating possible.

The Vulnerability: What You Need to Know

On May 7th, 2025, Cisco published an advisory for CVE-2025-20188, a vulnerability allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to upload arbitrary files and execute commands with root privileges on affected Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs).

The vulnerability exists in the Out-of-Band Access Point (AP) Image Download feature and stems from a hard-coded JSON Web Token (JWT) present in the system. Attackers can exploit this by sending crafted HTTPS requests to the AP image download interface, potentially leading to:

• Arbitrary file uploads

• Path traversal attacks

• Root-level command execution

This is particularly concerning for enterprise networks with large deployments of Cisco wireless infrastructure.

🚨 Affected Devices

The vulnerability impacts the following Cisco products running vulnerable releases of IOS XE Software for WLCs with the Out-of-Band AP Image Download feature enabled:

• Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controllers for Cloud

• Catalyst 9800 Embedded Wireless Controller for Catalyst 9300, 9400, and 9500 Series Switches

• Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers

• Embedded Wireless Controller on Catalyst APs

🔍 How to Determine if You're Vulnerable

To check if your devices are vulnerable, run this command:

If the output shows ap upgrade method https, your devices are vulnerable.

❗ Immediate Action Required

Cisco recommends disabling the Out-of-Band AP Image Download feature as a temporary mitigation and upgrading to a fixed software release as soon as possible. There are no other workarounds available.

📊 The Challenge: Scale and Complexity

For network administrators managing dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of Wireless LAN Controllers, this vulnerability creates several critical challenges:

1. Discovery: Identifying all vulnerable devices across global networks

2. Assessment: Determining which devices have the vulnerable feature enabled

3. Remediation: Applying the appropriate fixes at scale

4. Verification: Ensuring all devices are properly secured

5. Documentation: Maintaining compliance records of vulnerability management

✅ How rConfig Solves This Problem – Automatically

If you're using rConfig, you can breathe easier. We've immediately incorporated a comprehensive check for CVE-2025-20188 into our compliance engine, allowing you to:

1. Identify ALL Vulnerable Devices in Minutes

rConfig can scan your entire network and instantly identify:

• Devices running vulnerable Cisco IOS XE versions

• Controllers with the Out-of-Band AP Image Download feature enabled

• Prioritized lists based on exposure and risk

2. Apply Mitigation at Scale

While Cisco works on permanent fixes, you need immediate protection:

Create a rConfig Snippet to Disable the Vulnerable Feature:

Deploy this snippet across all affected devices with a single operation:

• By device group

• By network location

• By vulnerability status

Need help creating and using snippets? Check out our comprehensive snippets documentation or watch our tutorial video: Unlocking Network Automation in rConfig v7: Mastering Snippets for Secure, Dynamic Device Management

3. Verify and Document Compliance

After mitigation, rConfig continues to monitor your environment:

• Scheduled vulnerability scans confirm ongoing protection

• Compliance reports document your security posture

• Automated alerts notify you of any regression

🔄 Complete Vulnerability Management Lifecycle

With rConfig, you get end-to-end management of critical vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-20188:

1. Detection: Automated discovery of vulnerable devices

2. Analysis: Assessment of security impact and scope

3. Remediation: Bulk deployment of fixes and mitigations

4. Verification: Confirmation that vulnerabilities are addressed

5. Documentation: Comprehensive audit trails for compliance

🛡️ Network Security at Enterprise Scale

This latest Cisco vulnerability highlights why modern network teams rely on automation tools like rConfig. Managing security at scale requires:

• Speed: Respond to zero-day threats in minutes, not days

• Accuracy: Eliminate human error in vulnerability management

• Consistency: Apply the same security standards everywhere

• Visibility: Know your security posture at all times

• Efficiency: Do more with limited security resources

🚀 Get Protected Now

Don't let CVE-2025-20188 expose your network to dangerous attacks. rConfig gives you the tools to identify, mitigate, and document this critical vulnerability across your entire Cisco infrastructure.

Current rConfig users: Your vulnerability scanner has already been updated. Run a compliance scan now to identify affected devices.

New to rConfig? Contact us today to learn how we can help protect your network against this and future vulnerabilities.

References:

• Cisco Security Advisory: cisco-sa-wlc-file-uplpd-rHZG9UfC

• NIST: CVE-2025-20188

• rConfig Snippets Documentation

• Tutorial: Unlocking Network Automation in rConfig v7 - Mastering Snippets