dbcve.org
Rv016 FirmwareOperating system · Cisco

CVE-2023-20150

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 · high confidence

Multiple XSS vulnerabilities in Cisco Small Business RV series routers (RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, RV325) stem from insufficient input validation in the web-based management interface. Unauthenticated remote attackers can inject malicious scripts via crafted HTTP requests; when users visit affected pages, the scripts execute in their browser context, enabling arbitrary code execution or sensitive data access.

MitigationSince Cisco has not released patches and these are end-of-life devices, mitigate by restricting web interface access to trusted networks only, deploying a WAF in front of the devices, or replacing affected hardware with supported models.

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 the router model
    Access the device console or web interface and retrieve the hardware model information, typically found in the Status, System Summary, or Device Info page
    Affected if The model is one of RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, or RV325
  2. Confirm the web-based management interface is enabled
    Log into the router admin interface and navigate to Administration > Management or similar section to verify the HTTP/HTTPS management service is enabled
    Affected if The web-based management interface is turned on and accessible
  3. Determine network exposure of the management interface
    Check the router's access restrictions or firewall rules to see if the web management port (HTTP port 80 or HTTPS port 443) is accessible from external/unanthorized networks, or attempt a connection from an untrusted network segment to the management IP
    Affected if The web interface is reachable from untrusted or external networks rather than only from a trusted management VLAN
  4. Verify firmware version
    Access the router's Status or System Information page to view the installed firmware version string
    Affected if Any firmware version is installed, as all versions of the affected models are vulnerable

You are affected if you operate any of the RV016, RV042, RV042G, RV082, RV320, or RV325 models with the web management interface enabled and exposed to untrusted networks.

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 patches and these are end-of-life devices, mitigate by restricting web interface access to trusted networks only, deploying a WAF in front of the devices, or replacing affected hardware with supported models.

Recommended fix High confidence
  1. Restrict network access to the device's web-based management interface by placing it behind a firewall or using ACLs to limit access to trusted IP addresses only
  2. If remote management is not required, disable the web-based management interface entirely via the device settings
  3. If web management is required, access it only through a VPN or trusted network rather than directly exposing it to the internet
  4. Monitor Cisco security advisories periodically for any future firmware updates or security patches addressing these XSS vulnerabilities
  5. Consider replacing affected devices with newer models that receive active security support if long-term mitigation is a priority

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

Fix this in Rv016 Firmware Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation6.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
28.0 hours of engineering $4,980
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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-2023-20150 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