Is CVE-2022-20798 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2022-20798 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2022-20798 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2022-20798 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2022-20798?

CVE-2022-20798 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

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CRITICAL

CVE-2022-20798

CWE-287Published: June 15, 2022· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

A vulnerability in the external authentication functionality of Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager, formerly known as Cisco Security Management Appliance (SMA), and Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and log in to the web management interface of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper authentication checks when an affected device uses Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) for external authentication. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by entering a specific input on the login page of the affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain unauthorized access to the web-based management interface of the affected device.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2022-20798 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-287): Authentication bypass vulnerabilities allow attackers to access protected resources without valid credentials.