{
  "id": "CVE-2017-12238",
  "url": "https://spydr.io/cve/CVE-2017-12238",
  "published": "2017-09-29T01:34:48.997Z",
  "modified": "2026-06-17T01:02:56.937Z",
  "score": 6.5,
  "severity": "medium",
  "cvss_version": "3.1",
  "vector": "CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
  "score_source": "NVD",
  "epss": 0.02017,
  "epss_percentile": 0.80321,
  "exploited": true,
  "kev": {
    "added": "2022-03-03",
    "due": "2022-03-24",
    "action": "Apply updates per vendor instructions.",
    "ransomware": "Unknown",
    "name": "Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series Switches VPLS Denial-of-Service Vulnerability",
    "notes": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-12238"
  },
  "ssvc_exploitation": "active",
  "vendors": [
    "cisco"
  ],
  "products": [
    "Cisco IOS"
  ],
  "cwes": [
    "CWE-399"
  ],
  "description": "A vulnerability in the Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) code of Cisco IOS 15.0 through 15.4 for Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series Switches could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause a C6800-16P10G or C6800-16P10G-XL type line card to crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to a memory management issue in the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a large number of VPLS-generated MAC entries in the MAC address table of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a C6800-16P10G or C6800-16P10G-XL type line card to crash, resulting in a DoS condition. This vulnerability affects Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series Switches that are running a vulnerable release of Cisco IOS Software and have a Cisco C6800-16P10G or C6800-16P10G-XL line card in use with Supervisor Engine 6T. To be vulnerable, the device must also be configured with VPLS and the C6800-16P10G or C6800-16P10G-XL line card needs to be the core-facing MPLS interfaces. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCva61927.",
  "status": "Analyzed",
  "score_type": "Primary",
  "scores": {
    "cvss_v40": null,
    "cvss_v31": 6.5,
    "cvss_v30": null
  },
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101040",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039453",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20170927-vpls",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-12238",
      "tags": [
        "US Government Resource"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "nvd_url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-12238",
  "covered_in": [],
  "attribution": [
    {
      "source": "NVD",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov",
      "notice": "This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD."
    },
    {
      "source": "CISA KEV",
      "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog",
      "notice": "Known exploited vulnerabilities from the CISA KEV catalog."
    },
    {
      "source": "FIRST EPSS",
      "url": "https://www.first.org/epss",
      "notice": "Exploit prediction scores from FIRST EPSS."
    }
  ]
}