If left unpatched, CVE-2025-20359 could lead to major system disruptions or data loss.
Status: Received on 15 Oct 2025, 17:15 UTC
Published on: 15 Oct 2025, 17:15 UTC
CVSS Release: version 3
psirt@cisco.com
Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L
CVE-2025-20359: Multiple Cisco products are affected by a vulnerability in the Snort 3 HTTP Decoder that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the disclosure of possible sensitive data or cause the Snort 3 Detection Engine to crash. This vulnerability is due to an error in the logic of buffer handling when the MIME fields of the HTTP header are parsed. This can result in a buffer under-read. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP packets through an established connection that is parsed by Snort 3. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to induce one of two possible outcomes: the unexpected restarting of the Snort 3 Detection Engine, which could cause a denial of service (DoS) condition, or information disclosure of sensitive information in the Snort 3 data stream. Due to the under-read condition, it is possible that sensitive information that is not valid connection data could be returned.
The exploitability of CVE-2025-20359 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
With low attack complexity and no required privileges, CVE-2025-20359 is an easy target for cybercriminals. Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2025-20359, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2025-20359, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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