CVE-2026-20127KEV · OVERDUECWE-287

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

Critical · published February 25, 2026

Patch now

Confirmed exploited, and the score agrees

CVSS calls it critical at 10.0. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 99.8th percentile for exploit probability.

238
days past CISA
deadline
CVSS v3.1
10.0
EPSS
88%
Percentile
99.8
In the wild
Confirmed
What it is

🚨 Unauthenticated access to a high-privileged account with just a crafted request? That’s what this Cisco vulnerability allows! 🔥 Think of it like a sneaky courier delivering a package without ever showing ID — they just waltz right in, and before you know it, they’re adjusting the settings on your network like a chef changing the recipe without asking. 📦 An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain administrative privileges on your SD-WAN Controller, allowing them to manipulate network configurations at will. This could lead to a complete takeover of your SD-WAN fabric, potentially causing chaos across your entire network infrastructure. The implications are absolutely devastating — unauthorized access can lead to data breaches and system compromises.

Put simply

Think of it like a sneaky courier delivering a package without ever showing ID — they just waltz right in, and before you know it, they’re adjusting the settings on your network like a chef changing the recipe without asking. 📦 This vulnerability arises from a failure in the peering authentication mechanism within Cisco's SD-WAN components, which allows unauthenticated remote attackers to send specially crafted requests and gain access as a high-privileged user. Once inside, they can interact with NETCONF, manipulating critical network settings.

What to do

An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain administrative privileges on your SD-WAN Controller, allowing them to manipulate network configurations at will. This could lead to a complete takeover of your SD-WAN fabric, potentially causing chaos across your entire network infrastructure. The implications are absolutely devastating — unauthorized access can lead to data breaches and system compromises. Immediately update to the latest patched version of Cisco’s software to secure your SD-WAN environment. It’s crucial to review your network configurations and ensure strict access controls are in place. Regularly monitor your systems for any suspicious activity as a precaution! You've got this! Follow these steps, and your network will be fortified in no time. 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
10.0 · CRITICAL
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.88476 · 99.8th percentile
Weakness
CWE-287 · Improper Authentication
Published
2026-02-25T16:14Z
KEV added
2026-02-25 · due 2026-02-27
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 25 FEB 16:14Z
    Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
    cvelistv5
  • 25 FEB 00:00Z
    Added to CISA KEV — remediate by Feb 27
    kev