Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC): Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality
CVE-2026-20343 is a high-severity missing authentication for critical functionality vulnerability in Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) 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 Firewall Management Center (FMC) versions: 7.3.0; 7.3.1; 7.3.1.1, 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 0.66% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 52% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) 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 Firewall Management Center (FMC) | 7.3.0; 7.3.1; 7.3.1.1; 7.4.0; 7.4.1; 7.4.1.1; 7.3.1.2; 7.6.0; and 23 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
- 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 a critical API for Cisco Secure FMC Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to download sensitive files and use unbounded disk space. This vulnerability exists because a critical API lacks authentication. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by repeatedly invoking the API. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to download sensitive files that should be restricted and consume disk space so the device could become unresponsive, causing a DoS condition.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality
The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- 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.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using libraries with authentication capabilities such as OpenSSL or the ESAPI Authenticator.
- When storing data in the cloud (e.g., S3 buckets, Azure blobs, Google Cloud Storage, etc.), use the provider's controls to require strong authentication for users who should be allowed to access the data.
More Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities (CWE-306)
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 Firewall Management Center (FMC)
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
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