Cisco patches max-severity Secure Firewall Management Center flaws enabling unauthenticated root access
Cisco released security updates for two maximum-severity vulnerabilities in Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) that can be exploited remotely by unauthenticated attackers via crafted HTTP requests to the web-based management interface. The issues include an authentication bypass (CVE-2026-20079) that can lead to root access on the underlying operating system and a remote code execution flaw (CVE-2026-20131) that allows execution of arbitrary Java code as root on unpatched systems.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security highlighted Cisco’s advisories and urged administrators to review Cisco guidance and apply updates, noting impact to Cisco Security Cloud Control (SCC) Firewall Management and Cisco Secure FMC across versions. Cisco stated its PSIRT had no evidence of active exploitation and no public PoC at the time of publication, while also issuing fixes for additional vulnerabilities (including multiple high-severity issues) across Cisco firewall management and firewall platforms.
Related Entities
Vulnerabilities
Organizations
Sources
5 more from sources like security week, cyberthrone, dark reading, security affairs and ca ccs
Related Stories
Cisco Patches Critical Firewall Management RCE Vulnerabilities
Cisco released emergency fixes for two **critical (CVSS 10.0)** vulnerabilities in its firewall management software that could allow **remote, unauthenticated attackers** to execute code and gain **root-level** access to the underlying operating system. The issues are tracked as `CVE-2026-20079` and `CVE-2026-20131`, and reporting emphasized the risk profile given Cisco’s widespread deployment in large enterprises and the historical interest of sophisticated actors in rapidly weaponizing Cisco bugs. Available reporting stated there were **no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation** reports at the time of publication, but urged rapid patching due to the combination of unauthenticated reachability and full compromise potential. Separate coverage packaged the Cisco flaws alongside other weekly security items (e.g., Tycoon2FA infrastructure takedown and other incidents), but the Cisco item consistently described the same two maximum-severity firewall management vulnerabilities and their impact (RCE leading to root access).
1 weeks ago
Actively Exploited Critical Vulnerabilities in Cisco Secure Firewall and Catalyst SD-WAN Manager
Belgium’s CCB (Safeonweb) warned of **multiple critical vulnerabilities** across several **Cisco** products—specifically calling out **Cisco Secure Firewall** (including *Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA)*, *Firepower Management Center (FMC)*, and *Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)*) and **Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager**—and stated that **some vulnerabilities are being actively exploited**, urging immediate patching. The advisory lists a broad set of weakness classes including **authentication bypass** (`CWE-288`/`CWE-287`), **deserialization of untrusted data** (`CWE-502`), **buffer overflow** (`CWE-120`), **SQL injection** (`CWE-89`), and **sensitive information exposure** (`CWE-200`), and highlights multiple CVEs including **CVE-2026-20079** and **CVE-2026-20131** with **CVSS 10.0**. A separate advisory from the Center for Internet Security (CIS) also reported **multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco products** that could enable **remote code execution**, enumerating a large set of related CVEs (including **CVE-2026-20001**, **CVE-2026-20002**, **CVE-2026-20003**, and **CVE-2026-20039**). Taken together, the advisories indicate a high-risk patching priority for organizations running affected Cisco network/security management and firewall platforms, particularly where internet exposure or untrusted management-plane access could make exploitation more likely.
1 weeks agoCritical Remote Code Execution and Authorization Bypass Vulnerabilities in Cisco ASA and FTD WebVPN
Multiple critical vulnerabilities have been discovered in the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) WebVPN components, which are being actively exploited in the wild. The vulnerabilities, identified as CVE-2025-20362, CVE-2025-20333, and CVE-2025-20363, allow attackers to bypass authentication and achieve remote code execution (RCE) as root on affected devices. CVE-2025-20362 is an unauthenticated authorization bypass that enables attackers to access restricted endpoints without valid credentials, serving as a key component in exploit chains. When combined with CVE-2025-20333, attackers can send malicious HTTPS requests to execute arbitrary code as root, even without prior authentication. CVE-2025-20363 is a related flaw that also enables unauthenticated RCE on ASA/FTD devices and authenticated RCE on some Cisco IOS components. These vulnerabilities affect Cisco ASA versions 9.16 through 9.23 and Cisco FTD versions 7.0 through 7.7, with specific software images requiring validation against Cisco advisories. Cisco and CISA have confirmed active exploitation and widespread scanning for these vulnerabilities, prompting CISA to issue Emergency Directive 25-03 on September 25, 2025, mandating immediate action by federal agencies. The threat actor responsible for these attacks is attributed to the same group behind the ArcaneDoor (UAT4356) state-sponsored espionage campaign first observed in 2024. Organizations are urged to patch or upgrade to Cisco’s fixed releases without delay, and to restrict or disable vulnerable devices if immediate upgrades are not possible. Compromised devices should be isolated and thoroughly investigated for signs of threat actor presence. Cisco has provided detailed guidance for detection, and CISA’s Malware Next Generation tool can be used to hunt for indicators of compromise. Security researchers, including Rapid7, have published technical analyses and exploit chains demonstrating the severity and ease of exploitation. The vulnerabilities are considered highly critical due to their unauthenticated nature and the potential for full device compromise, which could lead to further lateral movement within affected networks. The rapid response from both Cisco and CISA underscores the urgency and scale of the threat. Organizations using Cisco ASA or FTD devices should assume exposure if running affected versions and prioritize remediation. The vulnerabilities highlight the ongoing targeting of network edge devices by sophisticated threat actors, particularly those engaged in espionage. Failure to address these vulnerabilities could result in significant operational disruption and data compromise. The security community continues to monitor for new exploitation techniques and advises ongoing vigilance. The release of proof-of-concept code and active scanning increases the risk of opportunistic attacks by additional threat actors. Timely patching and adherence to Cisco and CISA recommendations are essential to mitigate risk from these critical vulnerabilities.
5 months ago