CVE-2022-20775
CVE-2022-20775 is a security flaw in Cisco SD-WAN, Cisco’s business networking equipment. Someone who already has a way in can use Cisco SD-WAN to run their own code. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 25 Feb 2026.[1]
Cisco SD-WAN is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Cisco has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it a path traversal in Cisco SD-WAN. In its words: “Cisco SD-WAN CLI contains a path traversal vulnerability that could allow an authenticated local attacker to gain elevated privileges via improper access controls on commands within the application CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as the root user.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco SD-WAN Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to gain elevated privileges. This vulnerability is due to improper access controls on commands within the application CLI. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by running a maliciously crafted command on the application CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as the root user. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability. https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sd-wan-priv-E6e8tEdF”[2]
The underlying weakness is CWE-25, CWE-282, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 7.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Cisco’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Cisco SD-WAN.
Most families won’t have Cisco SD-WAN; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 25 Feb 2026, 1,244 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 27 Feb 2026 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 12%. That’s in the top 4% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Cisco has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Please adhere to CISA’s guidelines to assess exposure and mitigate risks associated with Cisco SD-WAN devices as outlines in CISA’s Emergency Directive 26-03 (URL listed below in Notes) and CISA’s “Hunt & Hardening Guidance for Cisco SD-WAN Devices (URL listed below in Notes).”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Cisco SD-WAN is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 27 Feb 2026 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 7.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 12%.[4] |
See also
Other Cisco flaws
- CVE-2026-76418, Cisco Secure Firewall ASA Software and Cisco Secure FTD Software: unchecked return value to NULL pointer dereference ·
- CVE-2026-76519, Cisco Secure Email Gateway: relative path traversal ·
- CVE-2026-76504, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager: hex encoding ·
- CVE-2026-76460, Cisco Identity Services Engine: incorrect use of privileged APIs ·
- CVE-2026-76461, Cisco Secure Email Gateway: SQL injection ·
Similar flaws
- CVE-2021-40870, Aviatrix Controller: controller unrestricted upload of file ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2026-20127, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller and Manager: authentication bypass ·
Every Cisco flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in February 2026
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Cisco SD-WAN Path Traversal Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 25 Feb 2026.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2022-20775 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 30 Sep 2022.
- ^ Cisco. Advisories and fixes: cisco.com, sec.cloudapps.cisco.com, tools.cisco.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.125, percentile 96.2, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2022-20775”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.