A vulnerability in software image verification in Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, physical attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to an improper check on the area of code that manages the verification of the digital signatures of system image files during the initial boot process. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by loading unsigned software on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to install and boot a malicious software image or execute unsigned binaries on the targeted device.