Is CVE-2026-20223 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2026-20223 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2026-20223 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2026-20223 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-20223?

CVE-2026-20223 has a CVSS score of 10.0 (CRITICAL).

HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2026-20223

CRITICAL

CVE-2026-20223

CWE-306Published: May 20, 2026· Updated: May 20, 2026

10.0

CVSS v3.1

EPSS:0.05%probability of exploitation in 30 daysPercentile:16.8th

Official Description

A vulnerability in the access validation of internal REST APIs of Cisco Secure Workload could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access site resources with the privileges of the Site Admin role.

This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation and authentication when accessing REST API endpoints. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability if they are able to send a crafted API request to an affected endpoint. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read sensitive information and make configuration changes across tenant boundaries with the privileges of the Site Admin user. 

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2026-20223 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 10.0.

The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability

Attack VectorNetwork

Attack ComplexityLow

Privileges Req.None

User InteractionNone

ScopeChanged

Impact

ConfidentialityHigh

IntegrityHigh

AvailabilityHigh

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

Affected Vendors & Products

Mentioned vendors (from description):

Cisco

CPE data not yet available in NVD for this CVE.

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time

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News & Research Mentioning CVE-2026-20223

Cisco Patches CVSS 10.0 Secure Workload REST API Flaw Enabling Data Access

The Hacker News· May 22, 2026

Cisco has rolled out updates for a maximum-severity security flaw impacting Secure Workload that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access sensitive data. Tracked as CVE-2026-20223 (CVSS score: 10.0), the vulnerability arises from insufficient validation and authentication when accessing REST API endpoints. "An attacker could exploit this vulnerability if they are able to send [xlite_meta score:50 src:The Hacker News xlite_fp:741661c26095a0548e1900b81691d873290ad3d503f3df84ba1f8ecc59ca50fe]