CVE-2026-20079

Published Mar 4, 2026

Last updated a month ago

Exploit known CVSS critical 10.0

Network

System

Port (80)

HTTP

Overview

AI description

Automated description summarized from trusted sources.

CVE-2026-20079 is an authentication bypass vulnerability found in the web interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software. This flaw allows an unauthenticated, remote attacker to circumvent authentication mechanisms by sending specially crafted HTTP requests to an affected device. The root cause of the vulnerability stems from an improper system process that is created during the device's boot sequence, which introduces an alternate authentication path. Successful exploitation of CVE-2026-20079 enables the attacker to execute script files on the compromised device, ultimately leading to root access to the underlying operating system. This vulnerability affects Cisco Secure FMC Software across all device configurations.

Description: A vulnerability in the web interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and execute script files on an affected device to obtain root access to the underlying operating system.  This vulnerability is due to an improper system process that is created at boot time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute a variety of scripts and commands that allow root access to the device. 
Source: psirt@cisco.com
NVD status: Analyzed
Products: secure_firewall_management_center

Risk scores

CVSS 3.1

Type: Secondary
Base score: 10
Impact score: 6
Exploitability score: 3.9
Vector string: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Severity: CRITICAL

Known exploits

Data from CISA

Vulnerability name: Cisco Firewall Management Center Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel Vulnerability
Exploit added on: Sep 9, 2026
Exploit action due: Sep 12, 2026
Required action: Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.

Weaknesses

psirt@cisco.com: CWE-288

Hype score: Not currently trending

Configurations

[
  {
    "nodes": [
      {
        "cpeMatch": [
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "DFA94312-376E-4785-888F-3C07612E1DF7",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "29E73FBF-2579-4660-AFFA-7F9607004226",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "87FAAFFB-0589-441B-8289-8B8A6E18F705",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "73B92119-793D-4A43-A056-24DB6826E759",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "093A0BC2-037C-463F-AFC5-EF11C2954EAD",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "C4F434FC-CAA4-4DBB-8094-C4ECC28B31E7",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "68C70BB3-33B3-4E7E-99D5-FF76D4ED96AE",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "B881B8DF-A96D-4B64-B98A-71F0D3388641",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "F6A97625-D39C-42D5-89E4-415A868A0972",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "5E4D83B4-9697-4071-AC9F-7ADC86A6B529",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "8F81F708-ACED-4E42-8CA9-116B5C4F5141",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "3C86116B-8475-40A0-A507-D4A7947F5F2C",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "B98BFDB6-0884-4A5B-B2F6-102AE22665C9",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "44D21149-BF7B-4188-A336-49AA5683BDC1",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "708A721E-11D2-4E9B-9F11-5B82F3FA742C",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "943BDA7B-0E37-4914-B7B2-EDFD58FAF653",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.0.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "E7B79D39-81E4-40B7-BB00-79F7B4F031F0",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "A58A2DA5-3EE7-408D-AAFA-82330F0325B2",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.1.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "7FA98EEC-2059-4CA9-92F1-72C1E0BB7EC6",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.1.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "F4C51EE7-866B-410C-B75E-EF260D5062B0",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.1.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "5F1FFD07-B874-4D3C-8E2C-9A204F1E994E",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "FB5ACB9E-86AF-4EC1-9F36-A202429CD0F4",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "AD1E4527-AAE2-4DA9-AFDA-6375839F7843",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "2F0AF047-EAE9-4C77-BCEF-5CB26F84C742",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "2ED03874-4071-4382-8A46-8B3A59E601FF",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "BF84E043-DF3C-4A95-8FDA-B0FDCD795377",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "B9498087-9642-4A86-B3EE-1513C55A86E2",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "36C229AB-2851-48D4-815A-63AAB4462A24",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "6DA4BCFC-8237-4F5C-9863-523EE7D8619B",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "07693A92-7D84-45A1-ACD6-D83AE41D504B",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "2C78050A-A5FB-427B-BF0D-0353B240A4FF",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "85E76AE7-12AC-4419-AE66-43730B173B4E",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "4D803EC9-26EE-4799-A435-C782C92739CF",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "6EEF87CD-2335-4886-A65C-4E33775AEC52",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "953EB81A-1B53-4A57-9F59-D4A7D37E657E",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "1CB534BC-3E4D-4484-AFD0-69524B1F07F9",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "D6514BF0-5A21-4C3A-9D9D-49677D7A2409",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "B291AF23-55FF-4F9A-87AC-76AA3BB3562F",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.10.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "4170B357-C086-483A-BC6C-CB1391FA5831",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.10.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "0B72005B-FBF0-4B0D-975B-178B511598B1",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.2.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "FBA0C228-2C5F-49C9-BF09-64CB101E98E9",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "5D401072-6709-4921-8918-720F28D61E24",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "C0EA3467-4205-4C41-AF24-689330F7396B",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.3.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "9BE94E38-5F29-4AE1-8129-7F7582C2CC75",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.3.1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "FEF603AD-D69B-4DD8-A7F4-6BEFD355EF29",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "D6BD1665-7824-4D98-A930-432CBDA4EAD5",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "F8056E69-22FA-4935-A576-916805D90C62",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "6A80BBBE-DB5E-460A-8621-6E28D2BD6E44",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "2B33F953-FEF3-4C46-A12A-2A42D8339D6E",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "B2C8DF03-2280-48B8-AC1E-4AAA31A36BDC",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "A3CCC30D-FC39-4F59-B338-6753F6094387",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "DDE484EB-FFFF-4DBA-8C45-77635BEBCE32",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "C663EDB2-E632-4915-BF37-EEE22FF26ED4",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "30F378A2-E599-44E7-B81F-845D84E0FDE8",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "366D966F-B60E-46B9-AD0C-D0C0692C984F",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "3A3E6840-7B1E-45F8-9527-3DB66A9267EF",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "E62C082C-3F06-46D8-A385-6B939CF8559B",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.4.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "095515F7-D0B2-40CA-AAEC-FDCFFE5AFE7A",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "FCBDBC61-B4B4-462F-B039-8F5C1B189AE2",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "73CB0C9D-263A-439C-BAF9-87D1EFE50184",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "DE58474E-D8D8-468D-9866-8C67607181E0",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.6.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "29F91F5E-7049-400A-9C39-B20A639DD61D",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "D71C054A-63FF-4858-A044-03FA72DA2C8D",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.6.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "388E9714-FCB6-41DD-A5C4-19E73AF2FBCC",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.6.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "A38DA9B3-B3DB-4574-A23C-D7794E5E7A25",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "5BBDBCE8-CD5E-48BD-B61B-A36376C5A585",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.7.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "D098596D-8156-4130-9180-A48D2ECB0910",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.7.10.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "34649064-8BCE-4A61-BA3A-17CBC4690C7E",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.7.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "9CE3E9B1-4817-4734-9EE9-E16698D3F709",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:7.7.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "AD7FFF13-B4DA-43AA-9A52-B2B6775A702C",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:10.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "05AE4609-A851-4B64-8506-117B0F92F7A9",
            "vulnerable": true
          },
          {
            "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_firewall_management_center:10.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
            "matchCriteriaId": "B676D865-367C-45B6-9A81-224914E0DE67",
            "vulnerable": true
          }
        ],
        "negate": false,
        "operator": "OR"
      }
    ]
  }
]

References

Sources include official advisories and independent security research.