---
title: "CVE-2022-20775: Cisco SD-WAN Path Traversal Vulnerability"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2022-20775/
description: "CVE-2022-20775 (Cisco SD-WAN): Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV). A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco SD-WAN Software could allow an authenticated, local…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2022-09-30
date_modified: 2026-10-21
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2022-20775"
kev: true
cvss: 7.8
epss: 0.12475
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2022-20775: Cisco SD-WAN Path Traversal Vulnerability

**Signal:** Exploited: patch now if you run it. CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Yes, if you run Cisco SD-WAN. CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-02-25, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild. US federal agencies must remediate by 2026-02-27 ; treat that as the outer limit, not the target.
- EPSS 12.5% , percentile 96: FIRST’s model estimates a 12.5% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 96% of all scored CVEs (very high). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs local access needed. Lower urgency for most teams unless an attacker could already run code on the machine.
- Editorial verdict: Act now. Cisco SD-WAN CVE-2026-20127: CVSS 10 Bypass, ED 26-03 — If you run on-prem Catalyst SD-WAN control components, upgrade and hunt now: a sophisticated actor has used this bypass for years, and the follow-on SD-WAN bugs CISA keeps adding to KEV show the platform is still being targeted.

## What it is

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco SD-WAN Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to gain elevated privileges. This vulnerability is due to improper access controls on commands within the application CLI. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by running a maliciously crafted command on the application CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as the root user. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability. https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sd-wan-priv-E6e8tEdF

## Affected products (CVE record)

- Cisco Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN: 18.3.1, 19.2.1, 17.2.4, 19.3.0, 18.3.0, 18.3.4, 18.4.303, 18.4.0.1, 17.2.9, 18.3.7, 18.2.0, 17.2.10
- Cisco Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager: 20.1.12, 19.2.1, 18.4.4, 18.4.5, 20.1.1.1, 20.1.1, 19.3.0, 19.2.2, 19.2.099, 18.3.6, 18.3.7, 19.2.0
- Cisco Cisco SD-WAN vContainer: 18.4.5, 20.1.12, 18.3.6, 19.2.1, 19.3.0, 20.1.1, 19.2.2, 18.3.8, 18.4.3, 18.4.4, 18.4.302, 19.1.0
- Cisco Cisco SD-WAN vEdge Cloud: 19.2.1, 20.1.12, 18.4.4, 19.3.0, 18.3.8, 19.2.2, 20.1.1, 18.3.6, 18.4.3, 18.4.302, 18.4.5, 18.4.303
- Cisco Cisco SD-WAN vEdge Router: 18.4.303, 18.3.7, 19.3.0, 18.2.0, 20.1.12, 19.2.099, 17.2.10, 18.3.3, 18.3.6, 19.0.0, 17.2.6, 18.4.0

## Severity

- cisco CVSS 3.1: 7.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: added 2026-02-25; federal due date 2026-02-27. Known ransomware use: Unknown.
- CISA required action: Please adhere to CISA’s guidelines to assess exposure and mitigate risks associated with Cisco SD-WAN devices as outlines in CISA’s Emergency Directive 26-03 (URL listed below in Notes) and CISA’s “Hunt & Hardening Guidance for Cisco SD-WAN Devices (URL listed below in Notes). Adhere to the applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are not available.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active , automatable no , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 12.47% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 96.

## Sources

- [20220928 Cisco SD-WAN Software Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities](https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sd-wan-priv-E6e8tEdF)
- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (cisco.com)](https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/csa/cisco-sa-sd-wan-priv-E6e8tEdF.html)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2022-20775](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-20775)
- [NVD entry CVE-2022-20775](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-20775)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entry](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-20775)
- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (cisa.gov)](https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/ed-26-03-mitigate-vulnerabilities-cisco-sd-wan-systems)
- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (cisa.gov)](https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/supplemental-direction-ed-26-03-hunt-and-hardening-guidance-cisco-sd-wan-systems)
- [cisco-sa-sd-wan-priv-E6e8tEdF](https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sd-wan-priv-E6e8tEdF)
- [github.com](https://github.com/orangecertcc/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-wmjv-552v-pxjc)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2022-20775/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt