dbcve.org
Catalyst Sd Wan ManagerApplication · Cisco

CVE-2026-20224

HIGH · 8.6 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-05-14
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 20.9.9.1 / 20.12.5.4 or later.
See remediation →
95/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
A vulnerability in the web UI of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager, formerly SD-WAN vManage, could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to read arbitrary files that are stored in an affected system. The attacker does not need to have valid user credentials. This vulnerability is due to improper handling of XML External Entity (XXE) entries when parsing an XML file. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted request to an affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read arbitrary files that are stored in the affected system.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

An XML External Entity (XXE) injection vulnerability in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager's web UI allows unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files on the system by sending crafted XML requests with malicious external entity references. The vulnerability exists due to improper handling of XXE entries during XML parsing.

MitigationApply the Cisco security patch for this vulnerability when released. Until then, consider disabling XML external entity processing in the web UI or deploying a WAF to filter XXE payloads.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Catalyst Sd Wan ManagerApplication
Affected:< 20.9.9.1>= 20.10, < 20.12.5.4>= 20.12.6, < 20.12.6.2>= 20.13, < 20.15.4.4>= 20.15.5, < 20.15.5.2>= 20.16, < 20.18.2.2>= 26.1, < 26.1.1.1= 20.12.7

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager version
    Run 'show version' on the SD-WAN Manager CLI or check the web UI login page footer for the version number. Alternatively, query the API endpoint /dataservice/device or check the administration page for version info.
    Affected if The installed version matches any of the affected ranges: < 20.9.9.1; >= 20.10 and < 20.12.5.4; >= 20.12.6 and < 20.12.6.2; = 20.12.7; >= 20.13 and < 20.15.4.4; >= 20.15.5 and < 20.15.5.2; >= 20.16 and < 20.18.2.2; >= 26.1 and < 26.1.1.1
  2. Verify web UI is exposed externally or on untrusted networks
    Review network ACLs, firewall rules, and reverse proxy configurations to determine if the SD-WAN Manager web UI (typically ports 443, 8443) is reachable from untrusted networks or the internet.
    Affected if The web UI is accessible from untrusted networks without proper network segmentation or authentication barriers
  3. Confirm XML-based functionality is in use
    Check if the web UI is actively used for configuration templates, API calls, or import/export features that accept XML input. Review any enabled integrations that send XML to the SD-WAN Manager.
    Affected if XML processing features are enabled or used in the SD-WAN Manager environment

You are affected if your installed Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager version falls within any of the listed vulnerable version ranges AND the web UI is network-accessible to potential attackers.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 20.9.9.1 / 20.12.5.4 / 20.12.6.2 or later
Fixed in 20.9.9.120.12.5.420.12.6.2
Interim mitigation

Apply the Cisco security patch for this vulnerability when released. Until then, consider disabling XML external entity processing in the web UI or deploying a WAF to filter XXE payloads.

Recommended fix High confidence

20.15.4.4 or later (or the appropriate fixed version in your release train: 20.9.9.1, 20.12.5.4, or 20.12.6.2)

  1. 1. Backup the current Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager configuration and data.
  2. 2. Schedule a maintenance window for the upgrade to minimize business impact.
  3. 3. Download the appropriate fixed release from Cisco (20.9.9.1, 20.12.5.4, 20.12.6.2, or 20.15.4.4 or later) matching your current release train.
  4. 4. Upload the software image to the SD-WAN Manager via the Administration > Software Management interface.
  5. 5. Initiate the upgrade and monitor the process for completion.
  6. 6. Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the software version in the web UI (Help > About).
  7. 7. Confirm the vulnerability is patched by reviewing the Cisco Security Advisory on sec.cloudapps.cisco.com.
Caveat Standard Cisco upgrade precautions apply - review release notes for any migration considerations

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Catalyst Sd Wan Manager Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,120.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-20224 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data