What it is
CVE-2017-6738 is a vulnerability affecting Cisco IOS, Cisco IOS XE Software. The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) subsystem of Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software contains multiple vulnerabilities that could allow...
Vulnerability report
Exploited in the wild
Confirmed confidence
In CISA KEV
CVE-2017-6738
IOS
Cisco / IOS · 12.2(53)SE1
- Severity
- CVSS 8.8 · High
- Confidence
- Confirmed
- Exploit status
- Exploited in the wild
- EPSS
- 10.9%
- First observed
- —
- Last observed
- —
Decision summary
What security teams need to know first
Direct answers before the deeper technical record.
Is it exploited?
Yes. Previdian tracks this CVE as a known exploited vulnerability. Confidence is confirmed. Listed in CISA KEV.
Who is affected?
Cisco / IOS 12.2(53)se1.
What should we do?
Prioritize remediation. Validate affected assets and apply vendor fixes on an accelerated timeline.
Overview
IOS
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) subsystem of Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software contains multiple vulnerabilities that could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to remotely execute code on an affected system or cause an affected system to reload. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by sending a crafted SNMP packet to an affected system via IPv4 or IPv6. Only traffic directed to an affected system can be used to exploit these vulnerabilities.
The vulnerabilities are due to a buffer overflow condition in the SNMP subsystem of the affected software. The vulnerabilities affect all versions of SNMP - Versions 1, 2c, and 3. To exploit these vulnerabilities via SNMP Version 2c or earlier, the attacker must know the SNMP read-only community string for the affected system. To exploit these vulnerabilities via SNMP Version 3, the attacker must have user credentials for the affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code and obtain full control of the affected system or cause the affected system to reload.
Customers are advised to apply the workaround as contained in the Workarounds section below. Fixed software information is available via the Cisco IOS Software Checker. All devices that have enabled SNMP and have not explicitly excluded the affected MIBs or OIDs should be considered vulnerable.
There are workarounds that address these vulnerabilities.
Vendor
Product
Affected
Status
Cisco
Affected
IOS
12.2(53)SE1
12.2(55)SE
12.2(50)SE2
12.2(50)SE1
12.2(50)SE5
12.2(53)SE
12.2(55)SE3
12.2(55)SE2
12.2(52)SE
12.2(58)SE
12.2(50)SE3
12.2(55)SE1
12.2(53)SE2
12.2(52)SE1
12.2(54)SE
12.2(50)SE4
12.2(50)SE
12.2(58)SE1
12.2(55)SE4
12.2(58)SE2
12.2(55)SE5
12.2(55)SE6
12.2(55)SE7
12.2(55)SE8
12.2(55)SE9
12.2(55)SE10
12.2(55)SE11
12.2(53)EX
12.2(52)EX
12.2(55)EX
12.2(52)EX1
12.2(55)EX1
12.2(55)EX2
12.2(55)EX3
12.2(58)EX
12.2(55)EY
12.2(52)EY1
12.2(52)EY
12.2(53)EY
12.2(52)EY2
12.2(52)EY1b
12.2(52)EY1c
12.2(58)EY
12.2(52)EY3
12.2(52)EY2a
12.2(58)EY1
12.2(52)EY4
12.2(52)EY3a
12.2(58)EY2
12.2(58)EZ
12.2(53)EZ
12.2(55)EZ
12.2(60)EZ
12.2(60)EZ1
12.2(60)EZ2
12.2(60)EZ3
12.2(60)EZ4
12.2(60)EZ5
12.2(60)EZ6
12.2(60)EZ7
12.2(60)EZ8
12.2(60)EZ9
12.2(60)EZ10
12.2(60)EZ11
12.2(50)SG3
12.2(53)SG
12.2(50)SG6
12.2(53)SG1
12.2(53)SG2
12.2(50)SG5
12.2(53)SG3
12.2(50)SG8
12.2(50)SG2
12.2(54)SG1
12.2(50)SG1
12.2(52)SG
12.2(54)SG
12.2(50)SG
12.2(50)SG7
12.2(53)SG4
12.2(50)SG4
12.2(53)SG5
12.2(53)SG6
12.2(53)SG7
12.2(53)SG8
12.2(53)SG9
12.2(53)SG10
12.2(53)SG11
12.2(33)SXI
12.2(33)SXI1
12.2(52)XO
12.2(54)XO
12.2(50)SQ2
12.2(50)SQ1
12.2(50)SQ
12.2(50)SQ3
12.2(50)SQ4
12.2(50)SQ5
12.2(50)SQ6
12.2(50)SQ7
15.0(1)XO1
15.0(1)XO
15.0(2)XO
15.3(1)T
15.3(2)T
15.3(1)T1
15.3(1)T2
15.3(1)T3
15.3(1)T4
15.3(2)T1
15.3(2)T2
15.3(2)T3
15.3(2)T4
15.0(1)EY
15.0(1)EY1
15.0(1)EY2
15.0(2)EY
15.0(2)EY1
15.0(2)EY2
15.0(2)EY3
12.2(54)WO
15.0(1)SE
15.0(2)SE
15.0(1)SE1
15.0(1)SE2
15.0(1)SE3
15.0(2)SE1
15.0(2)SE2
15.0(2)SE3
15.0(2)SE4
15.0(2)SE5
15.0(2)SE6
15.0(2)SE7
15.0(2)SE8
15.0(2)SE9
15.0(2)SE10
15.0(2)SE10a
15.1(1)SG
15.1(2)SG
15.1(1)SG1
15.1(1)SG2
15.1(2)SG1
15.1(2)SG2
15.1(2)SG3
15.1(2)SG4
15.1(2)SG5
15.1(2)SG6
15.1(2)SG7
15.1(2)SG8
15.2(4)M
15.2(4)M1
15.2(4)M2
15.2(4)M4
15.2(4)M3
15.2(4)M5
15.2(4)M8
15.2(4)M10
15.2(4)M7
15.2(4)M6
15.2(4)M9
15.2(4)M6a
15.2(4)M11
15.0(2)SG
15.0(2)SG1
15.0(2)SG2
15.0(2)SG3
15.0(2)SG4
15.0(2)SG5
15.0(2)SG6
15.0(2)SG7
15.0(2)SG8
15.0(2)SG9
15.0(2)SG10
15.0(2)SG11
15.0(2)SG11a
15.0(1)EX
15.0(2)EX
15.0(2)EX1
15.0(2)EX2
15.0(2)EX3
15.0(2)EX4
15.0(2)EX5
15.0(2)EX8
15.0(2a)EX5
15.0(2)EX10
15.0(2)EX11
15.0(2)EX13
15.0(2)EX12
15.2(2)GC
15.2(3)GC
15.2(3)GC1
15.2(4)GC
15.2(4)GC2
15.2(4)GC3
15.4(1)T
15.4(2)T
15.4(1)T2
15.4(1)T1
15.4(1)T3
15.4(2)T1
15.4(2)T3
15.4(2)T2
15.4(1)T4
15.4(2)T4
15.0(2)EA
15.0(2)EA1
15.2(1)E
15.2(2)E
15.2(1)E1
15.2(3)E
15.2(1)E2
15.2(1)E3
15.2(2)E1
15.2(4)E
15.2(3)E1
15.2(2)E2
15.2(2a)E1
15.2(2)E3
15.2(2a)E2
15.2(3)E2
15.2(3a)E
15.2(3)E3
15.2(4)E1
15.2(2)E4
15.2(2)E5
15.2(4)E2
15.2(3)E4
15.2(5)E
15.2(4)E3
15.2(2)E6
15.2(5a)E
15.2(5)E1
15.2(5b)E
15.2(2)E5a
15.2(5c)E
15.2(2)E5b
15.2(5a)E1
15.2(4)E4
15.2(5)E2
15.3(3)M
15.3(3)M1
15.3(3)M2
15.3(3)M3
15.3(3)M5
15.3(3)M4
15.3(3)M6
15.3(3)M7
15.3(3)M8
15.3(3)M9
15.3(3)M8a
15.2(4)JN
15.0(2)EZ
15.2(1)EY
15.0(2)EJ
15.0(2)EJ1
15.2(1)SY
15.2(1)SY1
15.2(1)SY0a
15.2(1)SY2
15.2(2)SY
15.2(1)SY1a
15.2(2)SY1
15.2(2)SY2
15.2(1)SY3
15.2(1)SY4
15.2(5)EX
15.2(4)JAZ1
15.0(2)EK
15.0(2)EK1
15.4(1)CG
15.4(1)CG1
15.4(2)CG
15.2(2)EB
15.2(2)EB1
15.2(2)EB2
15.5(1)T
15.5(1)T1
15.5(2)T
15.5(1)T2
15.5(1)T3
15.5(2)T1
15.5(2)T2
15.5(2)T3
15.5(2)T4
15.5(1)T4
15.2(2)EA
15.2(2)EA1
15.2(2)EA2
15.2(3)EA
15.2(4)EA
15.2(4)EA1
15.2(2)EA3
15.2(4)EA3
15.2(5)EA
15.2(4)EA4
15.2(4)EA5
15.5(3)M
15.5(3)M1
15.5(3)M0a
15.5(3)M2
15.5(3)M3
15.5(3)M4
15.5(3)M4a
15.5(3)M5
15.3(3)JAA1
15.0(2)SQD
15.0(2)SQD1
15.0(2)SQD2
15.0(2)SQD3
15.0(2)SQD4
15.0(2)SQD5
15.0(2)SQD6
15.6(1)T
15.6(2)T
15.6(1)T0a
15.6(1)T1
15.6(2)T1
15.6(1)T2
15.6(2)T2
15.6(1)T3
15.3(1)SY
15.3(1)SY1
15.3(1)SY2
15.6(3)M
15.6(3)M1
15.6(3)M0a
15.6(3)M1b
15.6(3)M2
15.6(3)M2a
15.2(4)EC1
15.2(4)EC2
15.3(3)JPC5
15.4(1)SY
15.4(1)SY1
15.4(1)SY2
15.5(1)SY
15.3(3)JPR1
Affected
Cisco
Affected
Cisco IOS XE Software
3.2.0SG
3.2.1SG
3.2.2SG
3.2.3SG
3.2.4SG
3.2.5SG
3.2.6SG
3.2.7SG
3.2.8SG
3.2.9SG
3.2.10SG
3.2.11SG
3.3.0SG
3.3.2SG
3.3.1SG
3.2.0SE
3.2.1SE
3.2.2SE
3.2.3SE
3.3.0SE
3.3.1SE
3.3.2SE
3.3.3SE
3.3.4SE
3.3.5SE
3.4.0SG
3.4.2SG
3.4.1SG
3.4.3SG
3.4.4SG
3.4.5SG
3.4.6SG
3.4.7SG
3.4.8SG
3.5.0E
3.5.1E
3.5.2E
3.5.3E
3.6.0E
3.6.1E
3.6.2aE
3.6.2E
3.6.3E
3.6.4E
3.6.5E
3.6.6E
3.6.5aE
3.6.5bE
3.3.0SQ
3.3.1SQ
3.4.0SQ
3.4.1SQ
3.7.0E
3.7.1E
3.7.2E
3.7.3E
3.7.4E
3.7.5E
3.5.0SQ
3.5.1SQ
3.5.2SQ
3.5.3SQ
3.5.4SQ
3.5.5SQ
3.5.6SQ
16.1.1
16.1.2
16.1.3
16.2.1
16.2.2
3.8.0E
3.8.1E
3.8.2E
3.8.3E
3.8.4E
16.3.1
16.3.2
16.3.3
16.3.1a
16.3.4
16.4.1
16.4.2
16.5.1
16.5.1a
16.5.1b
3.18.1aSP
3.18.2aSP
3.9.0E
3.9.1E
3.9.2E
17.11.99SW
Affected
- Published
- 17 Jul 2017
- Exploitation Reported
- 03 Mar 2022
- Attack vector
- Remote
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
Tags
ios
edge
cisa
CVE References
- CVE Record CVE.org · CVE Record https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-6738
- cisco-sa-20170629-snmp sec.cloudapps.cisco.com · CVE Record https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurity...
Exploitation evidence
Why Previdian marks this CVE as exploited
Third-party attestation and first-party sensor observation are shown separately so teams can judge the evidence chain.
Exploited in the wild
CISA
A trusted third party reported exploitation.
Known exploited vulnerability sources
Per-source evidence links for KEV attestations are available through the Previdian Pro API.
Learn about Pro API access| Source | Added |
|---|---|
| CISA First | 2022-03-03 00:00 UTC |
Detection
Operational artifacts and observed signals
Make the evidence actionable in scanner, SOC, and edge-control workflows.
Observed signals
- Request targets
- User-Agents
- Callback hosts
- 0
- 0
- 0
Request targets and User-Agents available in Pro. Callback host details available in Enterprise.
Scanner coverage
No scanner integrations recorded yet.
Virtual patch status
No Previdian virtual patch is currently available. Future rules ship for ModSecurity, Cloudflare, and AWS WAF.
Learn about virtual patches →No detection artifacts or sensor request patterns are available for this CVE yet.
Check back as sensor telemetry and scanner integrations are updated.
Risk and context
Severity, weaknesses, and research context
CVSS v3.0
8.8
High
Potential damage if exploited. Separate from whether attackers are using it.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS
10.9%
Estimated chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. Previdian's warning comes from evidence, not this score.
Timeline
From disclosure to observed exploitation
-
00:00 UTC
Added to CISA KEV
Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
-
21:00 UTC
CVE published
Vulnerability disclosed publicly
-
00:00 UTC
CVE ID reserved
Identifier reserved by the CNA
Pro API
Automate this intelligence
Confidence, exploit status, sensor telemetry, PoCs, scanner integrations, mentions, and tags are available programmatically for VM, SOC, and CTI workflows.
- Evidence confidence and provenance
- First-party sensor telemetry
- PoC and scanner references
- Affected versions and enrichment
- Automation-ready JSON delivery
GET /api/v2/pro/kevs/CVE-2017-6738
Sample API response{
"cve_id": "CVE-2017-6738",
"confidence": "Confirmed",
"cvss_score": 8.8,
"cvss_estimated": false,
"epss_score": 0.10855,
"exploit_status": {
"exploited_in_the_wild": true,
"active_exploitation_observed": false
},
"sensor_telemetry": { "attempts": 0, "sensors": 0 }
}