Cisco Secure Workload: Improper Authentication
CVE-2026-20317 is a critical-severity improper authentication vulnerability in Cisco Secure Workload from Cisco, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 10.0 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Cisco Secure Workload versions: 2.2.1.41; 3.2.1.18; 3.3.2.50, 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 0.56% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of Cisco Secure Workload you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- 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 Workload | 2.2.1.41; 3.2.1.18; 3.3.2.50; 3.4.1.28; 3.4.1.34; 2.3.1.45; 2.3.1.41; 3.3.2.28; and 32 more ranges | Not stated |
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
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (cisco.com).
Official description
As part of Cisco's ongoing commitment to proactive security and product quality, the Cisco Secure Workload engineering team has conducted a comprehensive internal security review. This review resulted in a software hardening release that addresses multiple internally discovered vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities tracked by CVE-2026-20317 are related to improper authentication issues that are grouped under the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) CWE-287.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Authentication
When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use an authentication framework or library such as the OWASP ESAPI Authentication feature.
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
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Secure Workload
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.6 Critical severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
Recent Improper Authentication vulnerabilities
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 7.4 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.6 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.