Patchfirst
CVE-2026-20079 KEVPublic exploit Critical · 10.0 EPSS 88.7%

Cisco Firewall Management Center Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel Vulnerability

Cisco · Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) and Security Cloud Control (SCC) Firewall Management

Summary

A flaw in the web interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software, part of the Secure Firewall Management Center and Security Cloud Control firewall management offerings, stems from an improper system process created at boot time that allows authentication to be bypassed. An unauthenticated attacker on the network can exploit it by sending crafted HTTP requests to an affected device, requiring no credentials or user interaction, to execute scripts and commands that grant root access to the underlying operating system.

Official description · NVD

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. 

Breakdown
83.8 / 100
Exploited
Yes, in CISA KEV
Reports
1
Tactics
1/15

How an attack unfolds

Based on mappings. Select a step to see the evidence.
  1. How attackers get in

First seen exploited 6 months after disclosure. Public exploit code (Metasploit) was available the same day.

  1. DisclosedPublic exploit codeMetasploitday 0
  2. First seen exploitedVulnCheck KEV evidenceAdded to CISA KEVEU database agrees+6 mo

CISA KEV listing is when exploitation was confirmed, not necessarily the first attack.

techniques

1 , grouped by in kill-chain order, 1 cited passage 1

Initial AccessTA0001

Exploit Public-Facing Application T1190 Medium
AI mapping from the description · how it is exploited

Unauthenticated HTTP exploitation of public-facing web interface

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to an affected device
From the official description (NVD) Original (opens in a new tab) ↗

Detection

0 rules for this CVE · 149 general rules for its techniques

Rules for this CVE

0 that reference CVE-2026-20079 directly.

CVE-specific rules are not available in this build. Search SigmaHQ ↗

General rules for this CVE’s techniques

These detect the technique in general, not this specific vulnerability.

Sigma rules © SigmaHQ, Detection Rule License 1.1; linked, not reproduced.

What security researchers reported

Named in 1 threat report
1 reportarcticwolf.com

Reports are matched by finding the exact id CVE-2026-20079 in their text; nobody has reviewed the match. One passage is shown per report, at most 320 characters, linked to the original.

Also mentioned in 50 community threat pulses (AlienVault OTX)

Weaker evidence

Pulses are indicator collections that anyone can publish. A mention is not confirmation of exploitation.

References

4 links, grouped by NVD tag
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