Full Report
Cisco security advisory (AV26-307)
Analysis Summary
# Vulnerability: Multiple Vulnerabilities in Cisco IMC, SSM On-Prem, and EPNM
## CVE Details
- **CVE ID:** CVE-2026-20011, CVE-2026-20012, CVE-2026-20013, CVE-2026-20014 (Multiple CVEs covered under Advisory AV26-307)
- **CVSS Score:** Up to 9.8 (Critical)
- **CWE:** CWE-77 (Command Injection), CWE-287 (Improper Authentication), CWE-285 (Improper Authorization)
## Affected Systems
- **Products:**
* Cisco Integrated Management Controller (IMC)
* Cisco Smart Software Manager (SSM) On-Prem
* Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager (EPNM)
* Cisco NFVIS
* Cisco Telemetry Broker, IEC6400, Secure Endpoint Private Cloud, Secure Firewall Management Center, Secure Malware Analytics, and Secure Network Analytics Appliances.
- **Versions:**
* **IMC:** Multiple releases (Specific to M5/M6 hardware platforms)
* **SSM On-Prem:** Version 9-202510 and prior
* **EPNM:** Versions 8.0 and 8.1 and prior
* **Appliances (M5/M6):** Versions 4.3(2.x), 4.3(6.x), and 6.0(2.x) specifically.
- **Configurations:** Systems utilizing the web-based management interface or CLI with default/specific administrative configurations.
## Vulnerability Description
This advisory covers a cluster of high-impact vulnerabilities:
1. **Command Injection & RCE (IMC):** A flaw in the IMC allows an authenticated attacker to inject arbitrary commands that are executed with root privileges on the underlying operating system.
2. **Authentication Bypass (IMC):** A vulnerability in the authentication logic allows an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and gain administrative access to the device.
3. **Privilege Escalation (SSM On-Prem):** Improper access control allows a low-privileged user to elevate their permissions to administrative levels.
4. **Improper Authorization (EPNM):** A flaw in user role validation allows unauthorized users to access restricted management functions.
## Exploitation
- **Status:** Not exploited (No reports of active exploitation in the wild at time of advisory release).
- **Complexity:** Low to Medium
- **Attack Vector:** Network (Remote)
## Impact
- **Confidentiality:** High (Full access to system data and configurations)
- **Integrity:** High (Ability to modify firmware and system settings)
- **Availability:** High (Potential for complete system takeover or denial of service)
## Remediation
### Patches
Cisco has released software updates to address these vulnerabilities.
- **Cisco IMC:** Update to fixed releases specified in cisco-sa-cimc-auth-bypass-AgG2BxTn.
- **SSM On-Prem:** Upgrade to version 9-202601 or later.
- **EPNM:** For versions 8.0/8.1, apply the latest maintenance patch or upgrade to a fixed release.
### Workarounds
- There are no known workarounds for the authentication bypass and command injection vulnerabilities.
- **Mitigation:** Limit access to management interfaces (IMC and SSM) to trusted networks using Access Control Lists (ACLs) or VPNs.
## Detection
- **Indicators of compromise:** Unusual administrative login events from unexpected IP addresses; presence of unauthorized user accounts; unexpected system reboots or configuration changes.
- **Detection methods:** Monitor system logs for repeated authentication failures followed by a successful login, or CLI execution logs containing shell metacharacters (e.g., `;`, `|`, `&`).
## References
- Cisco IMC Command Injection: [https[:]//sec[.]cloudapps[.]cisco[.]com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cimc-cmd-inj-3hKN3bVt]
- Cisco SSM On-Prem Privilege Escalation: [https[:]//sec[.]cloudapps[.]cisco[.]com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cssm-priv-esc-xRAnOuO8]
- Cisco EPNM Improper Authorization: [https[:]//sec[.]cloudapps[.]cisco[.]com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-epnm-improp-auth-mUwFWUU3]
- Cisco IMC Authentication Bypass: [https[:]//sec[.]cloudapps[.]cisco[.]com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-cimc-auth-bypass-AgG2BxTn]
- Cisco Advisory Portal: [https[:]//tools[.]cisco[.]com/security/center/publicationListing[.]x]