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CriticalKEV

CVE-2026-20045 — Cisco Unified Communications Products Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2026-20045 · Cisco Unified Communications Manager · CVSS 9.8 · KEV

In brief

Severity · CVSS
Critical9.8CVSS 3.1, Critical
EPSS
5%
CISA KEV
Known exploited, listed since 21 Jan 2026
Vendor
Cisco
Published · Modified
·
Last verified

Summary

A vulnerability in Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM), Cisco Unified Communications Manager Session Management Edition (Unified CM SME), Cisco Unified Communications Manager IM & Presence Service (Unified CM IM&P), Cisco Unity Connection, and Cisco Webex Calling Dedicated Instance could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system of an affected device.  This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input in HTTP requests. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a sequence of crafted HTTP requests to the web-based management interface of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain user-level access to the underlying operating system and then elevate privileges to root.  Note: Cisco has assigned this security advisory a Security Impact Rating (SIR) of Critical rather than High as the score indicates. The reason is that exploitation of this vulnerability could result in an attacker elevating privileges to root.

Weakness: CWE-94

Title, description and the vendor's statements are quoted from the CVE record; a vendor's advisory is summarised in Patcharo's words, with a link.

Affected and fixed versions

Per product and release branch, as the vendor's CVE record and official advisory state them. A fixed release is shown only when a document names it: the vendor's, or CERT-FR's for Check Point, with its source.

5 branches with a published fixed release · 3 branches to migrate · 1 branch without a precise fixed release

Cisco Unified Communications Manager

Source: CVE-2026-20045cisco-sa-voice-rce-mORhqY4b

  1. 15.0
    Affected versionsListed as affected, releases not specified
    First fixed releaseNot published in the sources followed
  2. 15
    Affected versions< 15SU4or apply patch file:
    First fixed release15SU4
  3. 14
    Affected versions< 14SU5or apply patch file:
    First fixed release14SU5
  4. 12.5
    Affected versionsListed as affected, releases not specified
    First fixed releaseMigration to a fixed release required

Cisco Unified Communications Manager IM and Presence Service

Source: cisco-sa-voice-rce-mORhqY4bCVE-2026-20045

  1. 15
    Affected versions< 15SU4or apply patch file:
    First fixed release15SU4
  2. 14
    Affected versions< 14SU5or apply patch file:
    First fixed release14SU5
  3. 12.5
    Affected versionsListed as affected, releases not specified
    First fixed releaseMigration to a fixed release required

Cisco Unity Connection

Source: cisco-sa-voice-rce-mORhqY4bCVE-2026-20045

  1. 15
    Affected versionsListed as affected, releases not specifiedor apply patch file:
    First fixed release15SU4 (upcoming)
  2. 14
    Affected versions< 14SU5or apply patch file:
    First fixed release14SU5
  3. 12.5
    Affected versionsListed as affected, releases not specified
    First fixed releaseMigration to a fixed release required

Remediation

Fix available

Vendor fix

  • Unified Communications Manager 1515SU4
  • Unified Communications Manager 1414SU5
  • Unified Communications Manager IM and Presence Service 1515SU4
  • Unified Communications Manager IM and Presence Service 1414SU5
  • Unity Connection 1414SU5

Upgrade to a fixed release listed above for your branch, or to a later fixed release the vendor explicitly supports.

Branches without a fix of their own: migrate to a fixed release

  • Unified Communications Manager 12.5
  • Unified Communications Manager IM and Presence Service 12.5
  • Unity Connection 12.5

Cisco has released updates that fix this vulnerability; its advisory lists them.

SourceCisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-voice-rce-mORhqY4b

Workarounds (vendor)

Cisco states in its advisory that no workaround is available.

SourceCisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-voice-rce-mORhqY4b

CISA KEV required action

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

CISA due date:

SourceCISA KEV

CERT-FR recommendation

Refer to the vendor's security bulletin to obtain patches (see Documentation section).

SourceCERTFR-2026-AVI-0076

Last verified 1 Oct 2026 at 09:32 UTC

Known exploitation

Added to CISA KEV on 21 Jan 2026

Federal remediation due date: 11 Feb 2026

The CISA required action is shown under Remediation.

5% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days (percentile 91%).

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CERT-FR

1 document of the French national CERT (ANSSI) references this CVE.

Advisory (AVI)CERTFR-2026-AVI-0076Published 22 Jan 2026

Vulnerability in Cisco products

Remote arbitrary code execution

Summary

A vulnerability has been discovered in Cisco products. It allows an attacker to trigger remote arbitrary code execution. Cisco indicates that vulnerability CVE-2026-20045 is being actively exploited.

Recommendation

Refer to the vendor's security bulletin to obtain patches (see Documentation section).

Official document on cert.ssi.gouv.frread by Patcharo 28 Sept 2026 at 20:04 UTCMachine translation of the French text published by CERT-FR; a text whose translation did not pass Patcharo's checks stays in French. Identifiers, versions and links are copied unchanged.

Timeline

  1. Added to CISA KEV
  2. Published by the source
  3. CISA remediation due date
  4. Source record last modified
  5. EPSS score computed
  6. Last verified by Patcharo

Official sources

References

Cisco · CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities · NVD · FIRST EPSS · Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-voice-rce-mORhqY4b

How Patcharo reads this

Affected and fixed releases come from the vendor's structured statements and are matched against exact versions; CVSS from NVD, exploitation from CISA KEV and the vendor's own advisory, probability from FIRST EPSS. Missing data stays Unknown and never becomes Not affected.

Read the methodologyRead the guide: Cisco Secure Firewall release trains: Threat Defense, Management Center and ASA versions explained