First Published: March 26, 2023

Introduction

The following release notes support the Cisco IOS 15.9(3)M7a release. These release notes are updated to describe new features, limitations, troubleshooting, recommended configurations, caveats, and provide information on how to obtain support and documentation.

PSIRT ADVISORY

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE READ!

FPGA and BIOS have been signed and updated to new versions.

For the 15.9 Release Train, this image (15.9-3.M) is considered as the baseline. Downgrade is STRICTLY UNSUPPORTED and bundle install to previous releases (158-3.M2a/157-3.M4b/156-3.M6b) will cause an error and fail if attempted. Any manual downgrade [non bundle operations] will impair router functionality thereafter.


Note
After upgrading to this release, make sure to delete any old image files that may still be in the flash: filesystem. This will prevent an unintended IOS downgrade.

For additional information on the PSIRT see the following:

https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20190513-secureboot

Image Information and Supported Platforms


Note
You must have a Cisco.com account to download the software.

Cisco IOS Release 15.9(3)M7a includes the following Cisco IOS images:

IR8x9

System Bundled Image: ir800-universalk9-bundle.SPA.159-3.M7a

This bundle contains the following components:

  • IOS: ir800-universalk9-mz.SPA.159-3.M7a

  • Guest Operating System: ir800-ref-gos.img.1.15.0.8.gz

  • Hypervisor: ir800-hv.srp.SPA.3.1.35

  • FPGA: 2.B.0

  • BIOS: 29

  • MCU Application: 53

IR807

IOS Image: ir800l-universalk9-mz.SPA.159-3-M7a

CGR1K

System Bundled image: cgr1000-universalk9-bundle.SPA.159-3-M7a

This bundle contains the following components:

  • IOS Version: cgr1000-universalk9-mz.SPA.159-3-M7a

  • Guest Operating System: cgr1000-ref-gos.img.1.8.2.22.gz

  • Hypervisor: cgr1000-hv.srp.SPA.3.0.69

  • FPGA: 2.E.0

  • BIOS: 18

Important Note Regarding 159-3.M7a

CG-OS to IOS Migration:


Note
When migrating from CG-OS to IOS on the CGR1K, Cisco recommends to upgrading from the Golden image to the required IOS image. Refer to the following example:

CG-OS -> 15.8(3)M3b -> <latest version>

Software Downloads

This section contains the following:

IR800 Series

The latest image files for the IR800 product family can be found here:

https://software.cisco.com/download/navigator.html?mdfid=286287045&flowid=75322

Click on the 807, 809 or 829 link to take you to the specific software you are looking for.


Important
MANUAL [non-bundle] DOWNGRADE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. For newer releases with the PSIRT fix - while bundle downgrade to 158-3.M2a/157-3.M4b/156-3.M6b is supported, manual downgrade is unsupported.

Note
On the IR8x9 devices, the IR800 bundle image can be copied via Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) or SCP to the IR800, and then installed using the bundle install flash:<image name> command. The IR800 <image>.bin file can NOT be directly booted using the boot system flash:/image_name. Detailed instructions are found in the Cisco IR800 Integrated Services Router Software Configuration Guide .

Note
On the IR8x9 devices, the cipher dhe-aes-256-cbc-sha (which is used with the commands ip http client secure-ciphersuite and ip http secure-ciphersuite ) is no longer available in IOS 15.6(3)M and later as part of the weak cipher removal process. This cipher was flagged as a security vulnerability.

IR807

The IR807 link shows the following entries:

  • ir800l-universalk9-mz.SPA.<version> .bin

  • ir800l-universalk9_npe-mz.SPA.<version> .bin

IR809

The IR809 link shows the following entries:

  • IOS Software

    • ir800-universalk9-bundle.<version> .bin

    • ir800-universalk9_npe-bundle.<version> .bin

  • IOx Cartridges

    • Yocto 1.7.2 Base Rootfs (ir800_yocto-1.7.2.tar)

    • Python 2.7.3 Language Runtime (ir800_yocto-1.7.2_python-2.7.3.tar)

    • Azul Java 1.7 EJRE (ir800_yocto-1.7.2_zre1.7.0_65.7.6.0.7.tar)

    • Azul Java 1.8 Compact Profile 3 (ir800_yocto-1.7.2_zre1.8.0_65.8.10.0.1.tar)

IR829

The IR829 link shows the following entries:

Software on Chassis

  • IOS Software

    • ir800-universalk9-bundle.<version> .bin

    • ir800-universalk9_npe-bundle.<version> .bin

  • IOx Cartridges

    • Yocto 1.7.2 Base Rootfs (ir800_yocto-1.7.2.tar)

    • Python 2.7.3 Language Runtime (ir800_yocto-1.7.2_python-2.7.3.tar)

    • Azul Java 1.7 EJRE (ir800_yocto-1.7.2_zre1.7.0_65.7.6.0.7.tar)

    • Azul Java 1.8 Compact Profile 3 (ir800_yocto-1.7.2_zre1.8.0_65.8.10.0.1.tar)

AP803 Access Point Module

  • Autonomous AP IOS Software

    • WIRELESS LAN (ap1g3-k9w7-tar.153-3.JH1.tar)

  • Lightweight AP IOS Software

    • WIRELESS LAN (ap1g3-k9w8-tar.153-3.JH1.tar)

    • WIRELESS LAN LWAPP RECOVERY (ap1g3-rcvk9w8-tar.153-3.JH1.tar)

Warning about Installing the Image


Note
The bundle can be copied via Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP), or Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) to the device, and then installed using the bundle install flash:<image name> command. The bin file can NOT be directly booted using the boot system flash:/image_name.

Caution
MANUAL [non-bundle] DOWNGRADE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

Known Limitations

This release has the following limitations or deviations from expected behavior:

Space Limitation

The device requires a minimum 30MB additional space in the flash: file system before attempting an upgrade, or a downgrade between releases. Otherwise, the FPGA/BIOS will not have enough space to store files and perform the upgrade. In these current releases, the bundle installation will not display a warning, but future releases from September 2019 going forward will have a warning.

CSCvq88011 - IR809, IR829

Bundle install should internally handle “firmware downgrade enable” check

Symptoms : If you manually downgrade hypervisor and IOS only from releases (159-3.M+, 158-3.M3+, 156-3.M7+, 157-3.M5+) to the releases (158-3.M2a, 157-3.M4b, 156-3.M6b), the router will be stuck in a boot loop.

Workaround : If you use the recommended 'bundle install' to downgrade, the process will run correctly.

Major Enhancements

There are no Major Enhancement for the 15.9(3)M7a release.

Caveats

Caveats describe unexpected behavior in Cisco IOS releases. Caveats listed as open in a prior release are carried forward to the next release as either open or resolved.


Note
You must have a Cisco.com account to log in and access the Cisco Bug Search Tool. If you do not have one, you can register for an account .

For more information about the Cisco Bug Search Tool, see the Bug Search Tool Help & FAQ .

Open Caveats

There are no open caveats for Cisco IOS Release 15.9(3)M7a:

Resolved Caveats

The following table lists resolved caveats for Cisco IOS Release 15.9(3)M7a:

Item

Platform

Description

CSCwe62090

IR800

Devices going into rommon-2 mode and the boot variable is unset in 159(3)M7.

Symptoms:

BOOT variable is unavailable causing the router to stop at rommon-2.

Limitations:

The restoring of ‘BOOT’ variable using ‘BOOT_BACKUP’ will work in the following cases where:

1) BOOT variable missing

2) BOOT variable empty

In order for this to work correctly, the image can be in any path in flash except that there should not be any image in direct flash:/<>.

CSCwe41339

IR800, CGR1000

PNP CONNECT fails to redirect contacting devices.

Symptoms:

On PnPC rollout, on-boarding fails due to trust pool issue and not redirect.

Fix:

Associate a unique trust pool to handle the same.

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