---
id: CVE-2025-20159
title: "A vulnerability in the management interface access control list (ACL) processing feature in Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass configured ACLs for the SSH, NetConf, and gRPC features.\r\n\r\nThis …"
summary: "A vulnerability in the management interface access control list (ACL) processing feature in Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass configured ACLs for the SSH, NetConf, and gRPC features.\r\n\r\nThis …"
severity: medium
cvss: 5.3
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N'
cwe:
  - CWE-284
published: '2025-09-10'
updated: '2026-09-26'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-26T00:10:00.127'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20159'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-acl-packetio-Swjhhbtz
    label: psirt@cisco.com
  - url: 'https://software.cisco.com'
tags:
  - nvd
  - csaf
  - vendor-advisory
  - cisco
epss: 0.00331
epssPercentile: 0.26084
ingestedAt: '2026-09-26T00:22:39.914Z'
vendor: Cisco
product: Cisco IOS XR Software
affected:
  - ios_xr_software
---

## Overview

A vulnerability in the management interface access control list (ACL) processing feature in Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass configured ACLs for the SSH, NetConf, and gRPC features.

This vulnerability exists because management interface ACLs have not been supported on Cisco IOS XR Software Packet I/O infrastructure platforms for Linux-handled features such as SSH, NetConf, or gRPC. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by attempting to send traffic to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to bypass an ingress ACL that is applied on the management interface of the affected device.

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.

## Vendor advisories

- **cisco-sa-acl-packetio-Swjhhbtz** · Cisco · affected: Cisco IOS XR Software · updated 2025-09-10 · [advisory](https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-acl-packetio-Swjhhbtz)