Cisco Secure Endpoint: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
CVE-2026-20216 is a high-severity allocation of resources without limits or throttling vulnerability in Cisco Secure Endpoint from Cisco, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Cisco Secure Endpoint versions: 7.0.5; 6.2.19; 7.3.3, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.57% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Secure Endpoint to 1.27.2 or 1.29.0 or 8.6.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Clamav to 1.4.5 or 1.5.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on sec.cloudapps.cisco.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco | Cisco Secure Endpoint | 7.0.5; 6.2.19; 7.3.3; 7.2.13; 6.1.5; 6.3.1; 6.2.5; 7.3.5; and 32 more ranges | Not stated |
| Cisco | Secure Endpoint | before 1.27.2; before 1.29.0; before 8.6.2 | 1.27.2, 1.29.0, 8.6.2 |
| Clamav | Clamav | before 1.4.5; 1.5.0 up to, but not including, 1.5.3 | 1.4.5, 1.5.3 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA (cisco.com).
Official description
A vulnerability in the InstallShield file format parser of ClamAV could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a DoS condition on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper handling of temporary resources during file scanning. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted InstallShield file to be scanned by ClamAV on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to terminate the ClamAV scanning process and temporarily consume available system resources, resulting in a DoS condition on the affected software.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Clearly specify the minimum and maximum expectations for capabilities, and dictate which behaviors are acceptable when resource allocation reaches limits.
- Limit the amount of resources that are accessible to unprivileged users. Set per-user limits for resources. Allow the system administrator to define these limits. Be careful to avoid CWE-410.
- For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
More Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling vulnerabilities (CWE-770)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Secure Endpoint
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.3 Critical severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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