A vulnerability in the Smart Install feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacke…

published 2018-03-28 8 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2018-0979

cvss: 7.5; version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev: Exploited; added 2022-03-03
epss: 9.4%; EPSS 9.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 95%
public exploits: 0; none known

A vulnerability in the Smart Install feature of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to trigger a reload of an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to improper validation of packet data. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted packet to an affected device on TCP port 4786. Only Smart Install client switches are affected. Cisco devices that are configured as a Smart Install director are not affected by this vulnerability. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvd40673.

Patch / fix

cisa required action Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Vendor advisories

What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.

cisa ICSA-18-107-04 updated 2018-04-17 cvss 8.6

Rockwell Automation Stratix and ArmorStratix Switches

Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley ArmorStratix 5700 Industrial Managed Ethernet Switches for extreme environments <= 15.2(6)E0a Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley Stratix 5400 Industrial Ethernet Switches <= 15.2(6)E0a Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley Stratix 5410 Industrial Distribution Switches <= 15.2(6)E0a Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley Stratix 5700 Industrial Managed Ethernet Switches <= 15.2(6)E0a Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley Stratix 8000 Modular Managed Ethernet Switches <= 15.2(6)E0a
affected: mitigation “Rockwell Automation recommends users upgrade to FRN 15.2(6)E1 or later.” rockwellautomation.custhelp.com

From CISA ICS and IT advisories (CSAF, https://github.com/cisagov/CSAF), a U.S. Government work; changed: reduced to products, statuses and remediations. CISA notification · csaf

Timeline

2018-03-28 Published
2022-03-03 Added to CISA KEV
2022-03-17 CISA patch deadline
2024-11-08 CISA SSVC: exploitation active

Known exploited

Added: 4 y ago (2022-03-03)
Patch by: 2022-03-17 (4 y ago)
Ransomware: Not known
Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Vendor, product: Cisco, IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software
CISA name: Cisco IOS Software and Cisco IOS XE Software Smart Install Denial-of-Service Vulnerability

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: Active, exploited in the wild
Automatable: yes
Technical impact: partial
Assessed: 2 y ago (2024-11-08)

Exploit prediction

9.36% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 95% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CISA ADP	3.1	7.5	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
NVD	3.1	7.5	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CNA	3.1	7.5	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
NVD	2.0	7.8	AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C

Affected products

n/a Cisco IOS and IOS XE

Classification

Weakness

CWE-399 Resource Management Errors
CWE-20 Improper Input Validation

Technology feeds

Cisco IOS rss critical rss

References

tools.cisco.com /security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20180328-smi
vendor-advisory
ics-cert.us-cert.gov /advisories/ICSA-18-107-04
third-party-advisory, us-government-resource
securitytracker.com /id/1040596
vdb-entry, third-party-advisory
securityfocus.com /bid/103569
vdb-entry, third-party-advisory
ics-cert.us-cert.gov /advisories/ICSA-18-107-05
third-party-advisory, us-government-resource
cisa.gov /known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-0156
government-resource, us-government-resource

Sources

CVE List CVE-2018-0156
NVD CVE-2018-0156

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

Summary