Vulnerability report

Exploitation Attempts Observed Confirmed Confidence In CISA KEV

CVE-2026-20079

Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Authentication Bypass

Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) · 7.0.0

Watch CVE-2026-20079 Browse KEV feed
Severity
CVSS 10.0 · Critical
Confidence
Confirmed
Exploit status
Observed in sensors
EPSS
88.5%
First observed
20 Sep 2026
Last observed
29 Oct 2026

Decision summary

What security teams need to know first

Direct answers before the deeper technical record.

What it is

CVE-2026-20079 is an unauthenticated vulnerability affecting Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC). A vulnerability in the web interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an...

Have exploitation attempts been observed?

Yes. Previdian sensors have observed 324 exploitation attempts, 92 unique attacker IPs, and 24 countries targeting CVE-2026-20079. First observed Sep 20, 2026; last observed Oct 29, 2026. Listed in CISA KEV. Also reported by third-party sources. Confidence is confirmed.

Who is affected?

Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) 7.0.0.

What should we do?

Patch immediately, validate internet-facing exposure, and monitor for matching requests.

Overview

Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Authentication Bypass

A vulnerability in the web interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and execute script files on an affected device to obtain root access to the underlying operating system.  This vulnerability is due to an improper system process that is created at boot time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to an affected device.

A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute a variety of scripts and commands that allow root access to the device. 

Cisco Affected
Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC)
7.0.0 7.0.0.1 7.0.1 7.1.0 7.0.1.1 7.1.0.1 7.0.2 7.2.0 7.0.2.1 7.0.3 7.1.0.2 7.2.0.1 7.0.4 7.2.1 7.0.5 7.3.0 7.2.2 7.3.1 7.2.3 7.1.0.3 7.2.3.1 7.2.4 7.0.6 7.2.4.1 7.2.5 7.3.1.1 7.4.0 7.0.6.1 7.2.5.1 7.4.1 7.2.6 7.4.1.1 7.0.6.2 7.2.7 7.2.5.2 7.3.1.2 7.2.8 7.6.0 7.4.2 7.2.8.1 7.0.6.3 7.4.2.1 7.2.9 7.0.7 7.7.0 7.4.2.2 7.2.10 7.6.1 7.4.2.3 7.0.8 7.6.2 7.7.10 7.2.10.1 7.0.8.1 7.6.2.1 7.2.10.2 7.7.10.1 7.4.2.4 7.4.3 7.6.3 7.7.11 7.6.4 10.0.0 7.4.4 7.4.5 7.0.9 7.2.11 7.7.12 7.6.5 7.4.6 10.0.1 7.4.7
Published
04 Mar 2026
Exploitation Attempts Reported
09 Sep 2026
Attack vector
Remote
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None

Tags

edge cisa nuclei_scanner qilin ransomware malware metasploit_scanner

CVE References

Exploitation evidence

Evidence of exploitation attempts

Third-party attestation and first-party sensor observation are shown separately so teams can judge the evidence chain.

Exploitation Attempts Observed in the Wild

Cisco Talos Blog

Recorded 09 Sep 2026

A trusted third party reported exploitation attempts.

Exploitation Attempts Observed

Previdian sensor

First observed 20 Sep 2026

Previdian sensors observed exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.

Targeted by qilin ransomware-Related Exploitation Attempts

Cisco Security Advisory

Recorded 11 Sep 2026

Exploitation attempts against this vulnerability are associated with qilin ransomware-related payloads.

Proof of concept available

GitHub

Recorded 28 Mar 2026

Public scanner or PoC coverage increases practical exploitability.

Known exploited vulnerability sources

Per-source evidence links for KEV attestations are available through the Previdian Pro API.

Learn about Pro API access
Source Added
Cisco Talos Blog First 2026-09-09 16:08 UTC
Cisco Security Advisory 2026-09-09 17:11 UTC
CISA 2026-09-09 19:20 UTC
CVE 2026-09-09 20:01 UTC
BleepingComputer 2026-09-09 21:40 UTC
SOCRadar 2026-09-10 12:28 UTC
Rapid7 2026-09-11 13:35 UTC
Cisco PSIRT CSAF 2026-09-16 16:03 UTC
Previdian Sensors 2026-09-20 09:35 UTC
NCSC Security Advisories 2026-10-28 11:20 UTC

Operational indicators for this CVE are listed under Detection.

Sensor telemetry

Previdian Sensor Observations

Previdian sensor observations are exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. They do not show that the target was vulnerable or that the attempt succeeded. The cards and chart show volume, unique attackers, and daily activity.

324

Attempts observed

92

Unique attacker IPs

24

Attacker countries

AR · AU · BE · CA · CH · CN · CZ · DE · DK · EE · GB · HK · IL · IN · IS · IT · JP · KR · LT · NL · SG · TW · US · ZA

5

Sensors observed

CVE-2026-20079 exploitation attempts over the last 42 days

Daily events observed by Previdian sensors

Updated 30 Oct 2026

0
22
14
0
127
0
0
2
0
25
0
58
0
2
0
0
30
0
0
0
2
16
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
2
0
0
0
15
0
0
2
0
2
0
19 Sep 28 Sep 7 Oct 16 Oct 30 Oct

First observed 20 Sep 2026 · Last observed 29 Oct 2026

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Detection

Operational artifacts and observed signals

Make the evidence actionable in scanner, SOC, and edge-control workflows.

Observed signals

Request targets
User-Agents
Callback hosts
3
70
0

Request targets and User-Agents available in Pro. Callback host details available in Enterprise.

Virtual patch status

No Previdian virtual patch is currently available. Future rules ship for ModSecurity, Cloudflare, and AWS WAF.

Learn about virtual patches →

Attacker IP Indicators

Attacker IP indicators observed · available in Pro and Enterprise.

Sensor-derived attacker IP indicators are available to Pro and Enterprise accounts under Detection and through the Pro API.

Learn about Pro API access

Scanner Artifacts

Scanner and exploit-framework references linked to this CVE.

Scanner Reference Detected
Nuclei https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-20079.yaml 01 Jun 2026
Metasploit https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/linux/http/cisco_fmc_auth_bypass_rce.rb 04 Mar 2026

Risk and context

Severity, weaknesses, and research context

CVSS v3.1

10.0 Critical

Potential damage if exploited. Separate from whether attackers are using it.

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

EPSS

88.5%

Estimated chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. Previdian's warning comes from evidence, not this score.

Weaknesses

Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel CWE-288

Recent mention · NCSC Security Advisories

NCSC-2026-0458 [1.00] [M/H] Kwetsbaarheden verholpen in Cisco Secure Firewall ASA, Threat Defense en Management Center

Cisco heeft kwetsbaarheden verholpen in Secure Firewall ASA, Threat Defense en Management Center softwareproducten. Cisco heeft de kwetsbaarheden gegroepeerd naar acht verschillende kwetsbaarheidsklassen (CWE's) en aan iedere groep één CVE-kenmerk toegekend. De kwetsbaarheden...

Read full advisory

All Mentions

Recent mention · NCSC Security Advisories

NCSC-2026-0458 [1.00] [M/H] Kwetsbaarheden verholpen in Cisco Secure Firewall ASA, Threat Defense en Management Center

NCSC Security Advisories · 28 Oct 2026

Cisco heeft kwetsbaarheden verholpen in Secure Firewall ASA, Threat Defense en Management Center softwareproducten. Cisco heeft de kwetsbaarheden gegroepeerd naar acht verschillende kwetsbaarheidsklassen (CWE's) en aan iedere groep één CVE-kenmerk toegekend. De kwetsbaarheden betreffen verschillende beveiligingsproblemen, waaronder onvoldoende toegangscontrole, onjuiste verwerking van invoergegevens, fouten in beveiligingsmechanismen en onjuiste afhandeling van uitzonderingssituaties. Vier van de acht CVE-registraties hebben een CVSS-score van 9.0 of hoger. De kwetsbaarheden met kenmerk...

Recent mention · The Hacker News

ThreatsDay: Self-Rewriting Agents, 800+ Flaws Patched, Insider SIM Swaps and 22 More New Stories

The Hacker News · 17 Sep 2026

Attackers keep finding new keys. The funny part is that defenders keep inventing where to store them. This week, those keys sit in AI tools, exposed services, old bugs, weak logins, and software sold like a monthly subscription. Some attacks use new tricks. Others just reuse what was already lying around. Both work often enough. So the threat landscape is not getting cleaner. It is just

Recent mention · NCSC Security Advisories

NCSC-2026-0076 [1.03] [H/H] Kwetsbaarheden verholpen in Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center

NCSC Security Advisories · 12 Sep 2026

Cisco heeft kwetsbaarheden verholpen in Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center. De kwetsbaarheid met kenmerk CVE-2026-20079 bevindt zich in de webinterface van Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center. Een ongeauthenticeerde externe kwaadwillende kan de authenticatiecontroles omzeilen door een onjuist systeemproces dat bij het opstarten is aangemaakt te misbruiken. De kwaadwillende kan deze kwetsbaarheid misbruiken door speciaal geprepareerde HTTP-verzoeken naar een getroffen apparaat te sturen. Een succesvolle exploit kan de aanvaller in staat stellen verschillende scripts en commando’s...

Recent mention · NCSC Security Advisories

NCSC-2026-0076 [1.02] [H/H] Kwetsbaarheden verholpen in Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center

NCSC Security Advisories · 11 Sep 2026

Cisco heeft kwetsbaarheden verholpen in Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center. De kwetsbaarheid met kenmerk CVE-2026-20079 bevindt zich in de webinterface van Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center. Een ongeauthenticeerde externe kwaadwillende kan de authenticatiecontroles omzeilen door een onjuist systeemproces dat bij het opstarten is aangemaakt te misbruiken. De kwaadwillende kan deze kwetsbaarheid misbruiken door speciaal geprepareerde HTTP-verzoeken naar een getroffen apparaat te sturen. Een succesvolle exploit kan de aanvaller in staat stellen verschillende scripts en commando’s...

Recent mention · Rapid7

Metasploit Wrap Up: This One Goes to Sixteen!

Rapid7 · 11 Sep 2026

This One Goes to Sixteen!Another banger from Metasploit with sixteen new modules, including ten exploit modules, with five on the CISA KEV list. Cisco, Papercut, Sonicwall, Jetbrains, and Langflow all have exploit modules, and not to be outdone, we even have a Metasploit scanner to watch the watchers!New module content (16)Elasticsearch ingest-attachment Apache Tika XFA XXE Local File ReadAuthors: Bourbon Offensive Security Services and Jean-Marie BourbonType: AuxiliaryPull request: #21739 contributed by kmkzPath: scanner/http/elasticsearch_tika_xfa_xxeCVE...

Recent mention · The Hacker News

Cisco FMC Flaws Exploited to Steal Credentials and Deploy Qilin Ransomware

The Hacker News · 11 Sep 2026

Cisco has revealed that three distinct threat clusters linked to ransomware and state-sponsored attacks have been exploiting two recently patched Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) vulnerabilities. The attacks leverage CVE-2026-20079 (CVSS score: 10.0), an authentication bypass vulnerability in the web interface of FMC software that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass

Recent mention · Cisco Talos Blog

We've got one word for it, and it's usually the wrong one

Cisco Talos Blog · 10 Sep 2026

In this week's Threat Source newsletter, Joe explores why the word "burnout" often fails to capture the true toll of working in the cybersecurity industry and why we need better language to address it.

Recent mention · SOCRadar

Cisco FMC CVE-2026-20079 Actively Exploited

SOCRadar · 10 Sep 2026

Cisco FMC CVE-2026-20079 Actively Exploited Cisco has confirmed active exploitation of CVE-2026-20079 , a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) with a maximum CVSS

Recent mention · The Hacker News

CISA Flags Exploited Cisco, Citrix, Fortinet Flaws, Sets Sept. 12 Federal Patch Deadline

The Hacker News · 10 Sep 2026

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Wednesday added three flaws, each impacting Cisco, Citrix, and Fortinet, to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies to apply the patches by September 12, 2026. The vulnerabilities are listed below - CVE-2026-20079 (CVSS score: 10.0) - An authentication

Recent mention · BleepingComputer

Cisco confirms CVE-2026-20079 Secure FMC flaw exploited in attacks

BleepingComputer · 09 Sep 2026

Cisco has confirmed that a maximum-severity authentication bypass vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-20079 in its Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) software is being actively exploited in attacks. [...]

Potential Proof of Concepts

These PoCs are unverified and could contain malware. Use at your own risk.

CyberAuth/CVE-2026-20079

github · Created 2026-08-17 18:36:35 UTC · 0 stars · AI assessment 90%

Python proof of concept for CVE-2026-20079 affecting Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center.

Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center - Authentication Bypass

nuclei · Created Unknown

Timeline

From disclosure to observed exploitation attempts

  1. 11:20 UTC

    KEV confirmed by NCSC Security Advisories

    Exploitation attempts reported by an external source

  2. 09:34 UTC

    Indicators of compromise added (92)

    Indicators of compromise recorded

  3. 09:34 UTC

    Observed by Previdian sensors

    Previdian sensors observed exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.

  4. 16:03 UTC

    KEV confirmed by Cisco PSIRT CSAF

    Exploitation attempts reported by an external source

  5. 14:20 UTC

    Targeted by qilin ransomware-related exploitation attempts

    Malware-related exploitation attempts or payloads reported

  6. 13:35 UTC

    KEV confirmed by Rapid7

    Exploitation attempts reported by an external source

  7. 12:28 UTC

    KEV confirmed by SOCRadar

    Exploitation attempts reported by an external source

  8. 21:40 UTC

    KEV confirmed by BleepingComputer

    Exploitation attempts reported by an external source

  9. 20:01 UTC

    KEV confirmed by CVE

    Exploitation attempts reported by an external source

  10. 19:20 UTC

    Added to CISA KEV

    Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

  11. 17:11 UTC

    KEV confirmed by Cisco Security Advisory

    Exploitation attempts reported by an external source

  12. 16:08 UTC

    Added to Previdian KEV Feed

    High-confidence, third-party report of exploitation attempts

  13. 14:21 UTC

    Public PoC available

    Public proof-of-concept code published

  14. 15:34 UTC

    Nuclei template available

    Scanner coverage available

  15. 17:17 UTC

    CVE published

    Vulnerability disclosed publicly

  16. 00:00 UTC

    Metasploit module available

    Exploit module available

  17. 11:59 UTC

    CVE ID reserved

    Identifier reserved by the CNA

Pro API

Automate this intelligence

Confidence, exploit status, sensor telemetry, PoCs, scanner integrations, mentions, and tags are available programmatically for VM, SOC, and CTI workflows.

Start 14-day Pro trial Read API docs
  • Evidence confidence and provenance
  • First-party sensor telemetry
  • PoC and scanner references
  • Affected versions and enrichment
  • Automation-ready JSON delivery

GET /api/v2/pro/kevs/CVE-2026-20079

Sample API response 
{
  "cve_id": "CVE-2026-20079",
  "confidence": "Confirmed",
  "cvss_score": 10.0,
  "cvss_estimated": false,
  "epss_score": 0.88472,
  "exploit_status": {
    "exploited_in_the_wild": true,
    "active_exploitation_observed": true
  },
  "sensor_telemetry": { "attempts": 324, "sensors": 5 }
}