CVE-2025-20241: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-9xhv-jrcw-j6fj
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CVSS 7.4
CWE-733
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-20241 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.4) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-733: Compiler Optimization Removal or Modification of Security-critical Code) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the developer builds a security-critical protection mechanism into the software, but the compiler optimizes the program such that the mechanism is removed or modified.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2025-20241 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-20241
GHSA Identifier GHSA-9xhv-jrcw-j6fj
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.4
CWE Classification CWE-733: Compiler Optimization Removal or Modification of Security-critical Code
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.4

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Adjacent (AV:A)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Changed (S:C)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2025-20241

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2025-20241, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-733: Compiler Optimization Removal or Modification of Security-critical Code, where the developer builds a security-critical protection mechanism into the software, but the compiler optimizes the program such that the mechanism is removed or modified. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

A vulnerability in the Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS) feature of Cisco NX-OS Software for Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Switches and Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause the IS-IS process to unexpectedly restart, which could cause an affected device to reload. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation when parsing an ingress IS-IS packet. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IS-IS packet to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the unexpected restart of the IS-IS process, which could cause the affected device to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. Note: The IS-IS protocol is a routing protocol. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must be Layer 2-adjacent to the affected device.

References

NVD — CVE-2025-20241 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20241
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-n39k-isis-dos-JhJA8Rfx

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-20241?
CVE-2025-20241 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-733: Compiler Optimization Removal or Modification of Security-critical Code.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2025-20241?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-20241?
CVE-2025-20241 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.4 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-20241?
CVE-2025-20241 is classified under CWE-733: Compiler Optimization Removal or Modification of Security-critical Code (The developer builds a security-critical protection mechanism into the software, but the compiler optimizes the program such that the mechanism is removed or modified.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2025-20241?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-9xhv-jrcw-j6fj",
  "modified" : "2025-08-27T18:31:54Z",
  "published" : "2025-08-27T18:31:54Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-20241" ],
  "details" : "A vulnerability in the Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS) feature of Cisco NX-OS Software for Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Switches and Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches in standalone NX-OS mode could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to cause the IS-IS process to unexpectedly restart, which could cause an affected device to reload.\n\nThis vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation when parsing an ingress IS-IS packet. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IS-IS packet to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the unexpected restart of the IS-IS process, which could cause the affected device to reload, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition.\nNote: The IS-IS protocol is a routing protocol. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must be Layer 2-adjacent to the affected device.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20241"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-n39k-isis-dos-JhJA8Rfx"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-733" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-08-27T17:15:34Z"
  }
}