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HIGH · CVSS 7.8 CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability

CVE-2022-20775

Cisco SD-WAN Path Traversal Vulnerability

Cisco SD-WAN

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

CVSS
7.8
HIGH
EPSS
12%
30-day exploitation
Ransomware groups
0
recorded exploiting
Published
30 Sep 2022
CWE-25, CWE-22

Exploitation status

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Listed by CISA on 25 February 2026. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 27 February 2026.

EPSS — exploitation probability

FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 12%, which is higher than 96.2% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.

CVSS vector

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

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2022-20775 being exploited by ransomware groups?

No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2022-20775.

What does CVE-2022-20775 affect?

CVE-2022-20775 affects Cisco SD-WAN. 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

How severe is CVE-2022-20775?

CVE-2022-20775 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 12%, higher than 96.2% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 27 February 2026.

How should organisations respond to CVE-2022-20775?

Apply the vendor patch for Cisco SD-WAN as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.