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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2017-6740 Cisco CVE debrief

CVE-2017-6740 is a Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software SNMP remote code execution vulnerability. CISA lists it in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which makes it a priority for remediation on affected Cisco devices.

Vendor
Cisco
Product
IOS and IOS XE Software
CVSS
HIGH 8.8
CISA KEV
Listed
Original CVE published
2022-03-03
Original CVE updated
2022-03-03
Advisory published
2022-03-03
Advisory updated
2022-03-03

Who should care

Network and security teams that manage Cisco IOS or IOS XE devices, especially environments with SNMP enabled or devices exposed in critical network paths. Organizations that rely on Cisco infrastructure should treat this as a high-priority patching item because it is in CISA’s KEV catalog.

Technical summary

This vulnerability is described as an SNMP remote code execution issue in Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software. The supplied corpus does not include affected versions or exploit mechanics, but the presence of CVE-2017-6740 in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog indicates confirmed exploitation in the wild and justifies urgent remediation. The CVE record and NVD entry are the official reference points for additional vendor and database details.

Defensive priority

Urgent. Because this is a known-exploited remote code execution issue affecting core network infrastructure, remediation should be prioritized ahead of routine patch cycles, with special attention to exposed or business-critical Cisco devices.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Apply Cisco updates or vendor-recommended mitigations for affected IOS and IOS XE devices as soon as possible.
  • Inventory Cisco IOS and IOS XE assets to identify every potentially affected device, including appliances in branch, campus, and data center networks.
  • Prioritize remediation on internet-facing, SNMP-enabled, and mission-critical network devices.
  • Verify remediation status against Cisco guidance and confirm that all targeted devices are updated successfully.
  • Track the CISA KEV due date and ensure exception handling is documented for any device that cannot be patched immediately.

Evidence notes

Based only on the supplied corpus: CISA KEV lists CVE-2017-6740 as a Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software SNMP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability, with dateAdded 2022-03-03 and dueDate 2022-03-24. The official links provided are the CVE record, NVD entry, and CISA KEV catalog; no additional technical details were assumed.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2017-6740 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-6740

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2017-6740 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-6740

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

  • CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog

    Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency - Official CISA catalog of vulnerabilities known to be exploited in the wild.

Supplemental references

  • Source item URL

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

    cisa_kev

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.