---
title: "CVE-2026-76461: Cisco Secure Email Gateway SQL Injection Vulnerability"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-76461/
description: "CVE-2026-76461 (Cisco Secure Email Gateway): Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV). A vulnerability in the email parsing of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-09-14
date_modified: 2026-10-21
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-76461"
kev: true
cvss: 9.8
epss: 0.29543
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-76461: Cisco Secure Email Gateway SQL Injection 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 Secure Email Gateway. CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-09-14, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild. US federal agencies must remediate by 2026-09-17 ; treat that as the outer limit, not the target.
- EPSS 29.5% , percentile 98: FIRST’s model estimates a 29.5% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 98% of all scored CVEs (very high). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Editorial verdict: Act now. Cisco Secure Email Gateway: Two Exploited Root RCE Bugs — Every on-premises Secure Email Gateway below 15.5.5-014 or 16.5.0-780 can be rooted by an email and both bugs are exploited: upgrade now, and check for compromise before and after, because attackers can wipe local evidence.

## What it is

A vulnerability in the email parsing of Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Secure Email Gateway could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on the underlying operating system. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation in the email parsing logic. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted email message that contains malicious SQL statements through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary SQL statements, leading to command execution with root privileges on the underlying operating system.

## Affected products (CVE record)

- Cisco Cisco Secure Email: 14.0.0-698, 13.5.1-277, 13.0.0-392, 14.2.0-620, 13.0.5-007, 13.5.4-038, 14.2.1-020, 14.3.0-032, 15.0.0-104, 15.0.1-030, 15.5.0-048, 15.5.1-055

## Severity

- cisco CVSS 3.1: 9.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: added 2026-09-14; federal due date 2026-09-17. Known ransomware use: Unknown.
- CISA required action: Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active , automatable yes , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 29.54% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 98.

## Sources

- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (sec.cloudapps.cisco.com)](https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-esa-inj-2bLVGmhX)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-76461](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-76461)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-76461](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-76461)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entry](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-76461)
- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (cisa.gov)](https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk)
- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (cisa.gov)](https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-implementation-guidance-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-76461/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt