Cisco IOS XE Wireless Controller Software Arbitrary File Upload Vulnerability – Source:sec.cloudapps.cisco.com

Critical

Summary

• A vulnerability in the Out-of-Band Access Point (AP) Image Download, the Clean Air Spectral Recording, and the client debug bundles features of Cisco IOS XE Software for Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary files to an affected system.

  This vulnerability is due to the presence of a hard-coded JSON Web Token (JWT) on an affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTPS requests to the AP file upload interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to upload files, perform path traversal, and execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.

  Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are workarounds that address this vulnerability.

  This advisory is available at the following link:
  https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-wlc-file-uplpd-rHZG9UfC

  This advisory is part of the May 2025 release of the Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software Security Advisory Bundled Publication. For a complete list of the advisories and links to them, see Cisco Event Response: May 2025 Semiannual Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software Security Advisory Bundled Publication.

Affected Products

• This vulnerability affects the following Cisco products if they are running a vulnerable release of Cisco IOS XE Software for WLCs, regardless of device configuration.

  • Catalyst 9800-CL Wireless Controllers for Cloud
  • Catalyst 9800 Embedded Wireless Controller for Catalyst 9300, 9400, and 9500 Series Switches
  • Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
  • Embedded Wireless Controller on Catalyst APs

  For information about which Cisco software releases are vulnerable, see the Fixed Software section of this advisory.

  Only products listed in the Vulnerable Products section of this advisory are known to be affected by this vulnerability.

  Cisco has confirmed that this vulnerability does not affect the following Cisco products:

  • IOS Software
  • IOS XE Software running on devices that are not functioning as WLCs and not listed in the Vulnerable Products section of this advisory
  • IOS XR Software
  • Meraki products
  • NX-OS Software
  • WLC AireOS Software

Workarounds

• There are two mitigations that are preferred for addressing this vulnerability for the two possible device configurations:

  Impacted Features Not in Use

  If the impacted features are not used, apply infrastructure access control lists (iACLs) to all interfaces and block the interface completely, as shown in the following example. This will completely mitigate the vulnerability.

  wlc# show ap file-transfer https summary Configured port : 8443 Operational port : 8443  wlc# show ip access-lists CVE-2025-20188   10 deny tcp any any eq 8443   20 permit ip any any 

  Impacted Features in Use

  If the impacted features are used, to reduce the attack surface, apply iACLs to limit the AP file upload interface to the WLC to allow traffic from expected sources only. The following is an iACL example that can be included as part of the deployed iACL:

  wlc# show ap file-transfer https summary Configured port : 8443 Operational port : 8443  wlc# show ip access-lists CVE-2025-20188   10 deny tcp any INFRASTRUCTURE_ADDRESSES WILDCARD eq 8443   20 permit ip any any 

  For more guidelines and recommendations for deployment techniques for iACLs, see the white paper Protecting Your Core: Infrastructure Protection Access Control Lists.

  There is also a workaround that addresses this vulnerability.

  Manually triggering the AP client debug bundle once, as shown in the following example, will protect all affected features that use the AP file upload interface. Note that this workaround does not persist through reload and must be done any time the device is reloaded.

  ! Check and pick any one client in any AP associated with this WLC wlc# show wireless client summary Number of Clients: 1  MAC Address       AP Name                Type ID   State   Protocol   Method   Role          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5eef.1000.0001    AP5EEF.1000.0003       WLAN 1    Run     11n(5)     None     Local           Number of Excluded Clients: 0  ! Manually trigger the debug bundle once wlc# debug wireless bundle client mac 0100.5eef.1000.0001 Wireless Client debug bundle add event  ! Get the site-tag wlc# show ap tag summary | inc AP5EEF.1000.0003|AP Name 

  AP Name           AP Mac          Site Tag Name Policy Tag Name  RF Tag Name  Misconfigured Tag Source AP5EEF.1000.0003  5eef.1000.0003  ST1           policy-tag        rf-tag       No            Static 

  ! Be sure to change the monitor-time to 60 so this process will take 60 seconds and not longer wlc# debug wireless bundle client start ap-archive site-tag ST1 level debug monitor-time 60  ! Stop debug bundle after 60 seconds wlc# debug wireless bundle client stop-all collect all  ! A debug bundle should be generated and the workaround was successfully executed wlc# dir bootflash:completeCDB/* 2883591   -rw-      383488    Jan 6 2025 11:18:25 +00:00    wireless_bundle_0100.5eef.1000.0001.tar 96739794944 bytes total (75825774592 bytes free) 

  While these workarounds and mitigations have been deployed and were proven successful in a test environment, customers should determine the applicability and effectiveness in their own environment and under their own use conditions. Customers should be aware that any workaround or mitigation that is implemented may negatively impact the functionality or performance of their network based on intrinsic customer deployment scenarios and limitations. Customers should not deploy any workarounds or mitigations before first evaluating the applicability to their own environment and any impact to such environment.

Fixed Software

• Cisco has released free software updates that address the vulnerability described in this advisory. Customers with service contracts that entitle them to regular software updates should obtain security fixes through their usual update channels.

  Customers may only install and expect support for software versions and feature sets for which they have purchased a license. By installing, downloading, accessing, or otherwise using such software upgrades, customers agree to follow the terms of the Cisco software license:
  https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/end-user-license-agreement.html

  Additionally, customers may only download software for which they have a valid license, procured from Cisco directly, or through a Cisco authorized reseller or partner. In most cases this will be a maintenance upgrade to software that was previously purchased. Free security software updates do not entitle customers to a new software license, additional software feature sets, or major revision upgrades.

  The Cisco Support and Downloads page on Cisco.com provides information about licensing and downloads. This page can also display customer device support coverage for customers who use the My Devices tool.

  When considering software upgrades, customers are advised to regularly consult the advisories for Cisco products, which are available from the Cisco Security Advisories page, to determine exposure and a complete upgrade solution.

  In all cases, customers should ensure that the devices to be upgraded contain sufficient memory and confirm that current hardware and software configurations will continue to be supported properly by the new release. If the information is not clear, customers are advised to contact the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) or their contracted maintenance providers.

  Customers Without Service Contracts

  Customers who purchase directly from Cisco but do not hold a Cisco service contract and customers who make purchases through third-party vendors but are unsuccessful in obtaining fixed software through their point of sale should obtain upgrades by contacting the Cisco TAC: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/web/tsd-cisco-worldwide-contacts.html

  Customers should have the product serial number available and be prepared to provide the URL of this advisory as evidence of entitlement to a free upgrade.

  Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software

  To help customers determine their exposure to vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software, Cisco provides the Cisco Software Checker. This tool identifies any Cisco security advisories that impact a specific software release and the earliest release that fixes the vulnerabilities that are described in each advisory (“First Fixed”). If applicable, the tool also returns the earliest release that fixes all the vulnerabilities that are described in all the advisories that the Software Checker identifies (“Combined First Fixed”).

  To use the tool, go to the Cisco Software Checker page and follow the instructions. Alternatively, use the following form to determine whether a release is affected by any Cisco Security Advisory. To use the form, follow these steps:

  1. Choose which advisories the tool will search-only this advisory, only advisories with a Critical or High Security Impact Rating (SIR), or all advisories.
  2. Enter a release number-for example, 15.9(3)M2 or 17.3.3.
  3. Click Check.

Exploitation and Public Announcements

• The Cisco PSIRT is aware that proof-of-concept exploit code is available for the vulnerability that is described in this advisory.

  The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any malicious use of the vulnerability that is described in this advisory.

Source

• This vulnerability was found by X.B. of the Cisco Advanced Security Initiatives Group (ASIG) during internal security testing.

Cisco Security Vulnerability Policy

• To learn about Cisco security vulnerability disclosure policies and publications, see the Security Vulnerability Policy. This document also contains instructions for obtaining fixed software and receiving security vulnerability information from Cisco.

• Subscribe

Related to This Advisory

• Cisco Event Response: May 2025 Semiannual Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software Security Advisory Bundled Publication

URL

• https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-wlc-file-uplpd-rHZG9UfC

Revision History

• Version	Description	Section	Status	Date
  2.2	Updated the mitigations.	Workarounds	Final	2025-JUN-06
  2.1	Prioritized the mitigations over the workaround, as the preferred method.	Workarounds	Final	2025-JUN-06
  2.0	Added two more affected features. Updated the vulnerable configuration conditions. Added a workaround and mitigations. Added the fact that Cisco is aware of proof of concept code.	Summary, Vulnerable Products, Workarounds, Exploitation and Public Announcements	Final	2025-JUN-06
  1.0	Initial public release.	–	Final	2025-MAY-07

  Show Less

Feedback

• Leave additional feedback