CVE-2026-20040
8.8 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2026-20040 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xr. It was published on March 11, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of an affected device.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user arguments that are passed to specific CLI commands. An attacker with a low-privileged account could exploit this vulnerability by using crafted commands at the prompt. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate privileges to root and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update ios_xr to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| cisco | ios_xr | >= 0, < 25.2.21 | Affected |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-20040?
CVE-2026-20040 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting cisco ios_xr. It was published on March 11, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2026-20040?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-20040?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from cisco. Update ios_xr to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-20040?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2026-20040 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
Automated penetration testing that runs continuously, not just quarterly.
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Browser-based exploitation validates findings with real proof-of-concept.
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