CVE-2017-6738 — Cisco IOS and IOS XE Software SNMP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Summary

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.

Weakness: CWE-119

Title, description and the vendor's statements are quoted from the CVE record; a vendor's advisory is summarised in Patcharo's words, with a link.

Affected and fixed versions

Per product and release branch, as the vendor's CVE record and official advisory state them. A fixed release is shown only when a document names it: the vendor's, or CERT-FR's for Check Point, with its source.

Remediation

Known exploitation

11% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days (percentile 96%).

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CERT-FR

No CERT-FR advisory or alert of the last two years references this CVE, for the vendors Patcharo covers.

Timeline

1. 17 Jul 2017Published by the source
2. 3 Mar 2022Added to CISA KEV
3. 24 Mar 2022CISA remediation due date
4. 17 Jun 2026Source record last modified
5. 29 Sept 2026EPSS score computed
6. 1 Oct 2026Last verified by Patcharo

Official sources

• Cisco (CVE record)retrieved 1 Oct 2026 at 09:31 UTC
• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilitiesretrieved 1 Oct 2026 at 09:28 UTC
• NVDretrieved 27 Sept 2026 at 23:44 UTC
• FIRST EPSSretrieved 30 Sept 2026 at 00:17 UTC
• Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-20170629-snmpretrieved 1 Oct 2026 at 09:31 UTC

Cisco · CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities · NVD · FIRST EPSS · Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-20170629-snmp