CVE-2026-20182: May 2026: This security advisory provides the details and fix information for a vulnerability that was discovered and fixed after the was disclosed i...

Description

May 2026: This security advisory provides the details and fix information for a vulnerability that was discovered and fixed after the was disclosed in February 2026. This new advisory is for a new vulnerability in the control connection handshaking. The section of this advisory includes Show Control Connections guidance to help with system checks.  A vulnerability in the peering authentication in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller, formerly SD-WAN vSmart, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager, formerly SD-WAN vManage, and Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Validator, formerly SD-WAN vBond, could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and obtain administrative privileges on an affected system. This vulnerability exists because the peering authentication mechanism in an affected system is not working properly. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to log in to an affected Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller as an internal, high-privileged, non-root user account. Using this account, the attacker could access NETCONF, which would then allow the attacker to manipulate network configuration for the SD-WAN fabric.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

10/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

87.69%

99.7th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Exploitation Status

This vulnerability is listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies must remediate by May 17, 2026.

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-287

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cisco	Catalyst Sd-Wan Manager	< 20.9.9.1
Cisco	Catalyst Sd-Wan Manager	>= 20.10, < 20.12.5.4
Cisco	Catalyst Sd-Wan Manager	>= 20.12.6, < 20.12.6.2
Cisco	Catalyst Sd-Wan Manager	>= 20.13, < 20.15.4.4
Cisco	Catalyst Sd-Wan Manager	>= 20.15.5, < 20.15.5.2
Cisco	Catalyst Sd-Wan Manager	>= 20.16, < 20.18.2.2
Cisco	Catalyst Sd-Wan Manager	>= 26.1, < 26.1.1.1
Cisco	Catalyst Sd-Wan Manager	20.12.7
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vbond Orchestrator	< 20.9.9.1
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vbond Orchestrator	>= 20.10, < 20.12.5.4
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vbond Orchestrator	>= 20.12.6, < 20.12.6.2
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vbond Orchestrator	>= 20.13, < 20.15.4.4
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vbond Orchestrator	>= 20.15.5, < 20.15.5.2
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vbond Orchestrator	>= 20.16, < 20.18.2.2
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vbond Orchestrator	>= 26.1, < 26.1.1.1
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vbond Orchestrator	20.12.7
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vsmart Controller	< 20.9.9.1
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vsmart Controller	>= 20.10, < 20.12.5.4
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vsmart Controller	>= 20.12.6, < 20.12.6.2
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vsmart Controller	>= 20.13, < 20.15.4.4
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vsmart Controller	>= 20.15.5, < 20.15.5.2
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vsmart Controller	>= 20.16, < 20.18.2.2
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vsmart Controller	>= 26.1, < 26.1.1.1
Cisco	Sd-Wan Vsmart Controller	20.12.7

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sdwan-rpa-EHchtZkNot Applicable
https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sdwan-rpa2-v69WY2SWVendor Advisory
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-20182US Government Resource

Timeline

Published: May 14, 2026
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Analyzed

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-20182?

May 2026: This security advisory provides the details and fix information for a vulnerability that was discovered and fixed after the was disclosed in February 2026. This new advisory is for a new vulnerability in the control connection handshaking. The section of this advisory includes Show Control Connections guidance to help with system checks.  A vulnerability in the peering authentication in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller, formerly SD-WAN vSmart, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager, formerly SD-WAN vManage, and Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Validator, formerly SD-WAN vBond, could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and obtain administrative privileges on an affected system. This vulnerability exists because the peering authentication mechanism in an affected system is not working properly. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to log in to an affected Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller as an internal, high-privileged, non-root user account. Using this account, the attacker could access NETCONF, which would then allow the attacker to manipulate network configuration for the SD-WAN fabric.

How severe is CVE-2026-20182?

CVE-2026-20182 has a CVSS score of 10/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 87.69% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

How do I fix CVE-2026-20182?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.