dbcve.org
Rv016 FirmwareOperating system · Cisco

CVE-2023-20141

MEDIUM · 6.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-04-05
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
68/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable No privileges

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, and RV325 Routers could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks against a user of the interface. These vulnerabilities are due to insufficient input validation by the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by sending crafted HTTP requests to an affected device and then persuading a user to visit specific web pages that include malicious payloads. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the affected interface or access sensitive, browser-based information. Cisco has not released software updates that address these vulnerabilities.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities exist in the web-based management interface of Cisco Small Business RV series routers (RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, RV325). The vulnerabilities stem from insufficient input validation in the HTTP request handling. An unauthenticated remote attacker can inject malicious script payloads via crafted HTTP requests, which then execute in the context of a user's browser when they visit affected pages, potentially allowing session hijacking or access to sensitive browser-based information.

MitigationSince Cisco has not released software updates for these end-of-life devices, organizations should restrict access to the management interface via network segmentation, VPN, or ACLs; consider replacing affected routers with supported models; and warn users against clicking untrusted links to the management interface.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Rv016 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Rv042 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Rv042g FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Rv082 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Rv320 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions
Rv325 FirmwareOperating system
Affected:all versions

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify router model
    Access the device web interface or CLI and retrieve the exact model number (RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, or RV325). In the web interface, this is typically displayed on the status/dashboard page. Via CLI, use 'show version' or check the device label.
    Affected if The model is any of: RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, or RV325.
  2. Confirm web management interface is enabled
    Attempt to access the device via HTTP (port 80) or HTTPS (port 443) using the device's LAN or WAN IP address. Verify the login page or management console loads successfully.
    Affected if The web-based management interface responds and displays a login or status page.
  3. Check management interface network exposure
    Determine if the management interface is accessible from the WAN/internet or only from the LAN segment. Review router firewall rules, port forwarding configurations, or ACL settings that control access to HTTP/HTTPS ports (80/443).
    Affected if The web management interface is reachable from untrusted networks (WAN/internet) or from LAN segments beyond the intended admin network.
  4. Verify firmware version (documentary)
    In the web interface, navigate to the status or system summary page to display the installed firmware version. Note that per Cisco's advisory, all firmware versions of these models are affected.
    Affected if This step confirms the specific version for record-keeping; all versions are vulnerable regardless.

You are affected if your device is any of the RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, or RV325 models and the web-based management interface is accessible, regardless of firmware version.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Since Cisco has not released software updates for these end-of-life devices, organizations should restrict access to the management interface via network segmentation, VPN, or ACLs; consider replacing affected routers with supported models; and warn users against clicking untrusted links to the management interface.

Recommended fix High confidence
  1. There are no available software updates, patches, or documented configuration mitigations for this vulnerability.
  2. Cisco has explicitly stated that no software updates will be released for these end-of-life router models.
  3. Consider replacing affected devices with supported Cisco small business routers that receive regular security updates.
  4. If replacement is not immediately possible, restrict web management interface access to trusted networks only and monitor for suspicious activity.

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Rv016 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
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Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-20141 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data