{"id":"CVE-2026-20040","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"Cisco IOS XR Software CLI Privilege Escalation Vulnerability","description":"A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of an affected device.\r\n\r\nThis vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user arguments that are passed to specific CLI commands. An attacker with a low-privileged account could exploit this vulnerability by using crafted commands at the prompt. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate privileges to root and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system.","publishedAt":"2026-03-11T16:31:14.292Z","updatedAt":"2026-03-12T03:55:35.692Z","severity":{"score":8.8,"label":"High","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H","source":"cisco"},"assigner":"cisco","products":["Cisco Cisco IOS XR Software"],"affected":[{"vendor":"Cisco","product":"Cisco IOS XR Software","defaultStatus":"unknown","versions":[{"version":"6.5.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.29","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.92","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.25","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.26","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.11","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.25","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.28","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.93","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.90","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.90","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.2.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.11","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.14","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.25","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.4","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.2.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.4.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.2.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.4","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.31","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.16","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.8.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.4.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.32","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.4.16","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.27","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.6.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.6.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.7.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.8.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.4","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.4.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.35","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.9.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.6.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.7.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.9.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.9.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.10.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.4","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.33","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.22","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.7.21","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.9.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.5","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.5","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.11.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.9.21","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.10.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.1.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.6.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.6","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.52","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.11.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.1.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.11","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.3.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.23","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.11.21","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.20","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.3.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.10","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.35","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.1.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.3.20","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.2.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.351","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.1.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.3.30","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.3.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.352","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.30","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.21","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.4.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.2.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.2.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.2.0","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.0","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.2.30","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.353","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.1.30","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.3.15","status":"affected"}]}],"references":["https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-iosxr-privesc-bF8D5U4W"],"weaknesses":["CWE-78"],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:11:10.572Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProje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IOS XR Software CLI Privilege Escalation Vulnerability","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of an affected device.\r\n\r\nThis vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user arguments that are passed to specific CLI commands. An attacker with a low-privileged account could exploit this vulnerability by using crafted commands at the prompt. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate privileges to root and execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system."}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Cisco","product":"Cisco IOS XR Software","defaultStatus":"unknown","versions":[{"version":"6.5.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.29","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.92","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.25","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.26","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.11","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.25","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.28","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.93","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.90","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.90","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.2.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.11","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.14","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.25","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.6.4","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.2.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.1.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.4.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.2.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.4","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.31","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.16","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.8.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.4.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.32","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.4.16","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.27","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.6.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.6.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.12","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.7.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.8.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.4","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.4.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.7.35","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.9.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.6.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.7.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.9.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.9.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.10.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.4","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.33","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.22","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.7.21","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.9.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.5","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.5","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.11.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.9.21","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.10.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.1.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.6.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.3.6","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.5.52","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.11.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.1.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.11","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.3.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.8.23","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.11.21","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.20","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.3.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.10","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.35","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.1.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.3.20","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.2.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.351","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.1.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.3.30","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.3.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.352","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.4.30","status":"affected"},{"version":"24.2.21","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.4.1","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.2.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.2.15","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.2.0","status":"affected"},{"version":"7.0.0","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.2.30","status":"affected"},{"version":"6.5.353","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.1.30","status":"affected"},{"version":"25.3.15","status":"affected"}]}],"references":[{"url":"https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-iosxr-privesc-bF8D5U4W","name":"cisco-sa-iosxr-privesc-bF8D5U4W"}],"metrics":[{"format":"cvssV3_1","cvssV3_1":{"version":"3.1","vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H","baseScore":8.8,"baseSeverity":"HIGH","attackVector":"LOCAL","attackComplexity":"LOW","privilegesRequired":"LOW","userInteraction":"NONE","scope":"CHANGED","confidentialityImpact":"HIGH","integrityImpact":"HIGH","availabilityImpact":"HIGH"}}],"problemTypes":[{"descriptions":[{"cweId":"CWE-78","lang":"en","description":"Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')","type":"cwe"}]}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"cisco","orgId":"d1c1063e-7a18-46af-9102-31f8928bc633","dateUpdated":"2026-03-11T16:31:14.292Z"},"exploits":[{"lang":"en","value":"The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerabilities that are described in this advisory."}],"source":{"advisory":"cisco-sa-iosxr-privesc-bF8D5U4W","discovery":"INTERNAL","defects":["CSCwp27221"]}},"adp":[{"title":"CISA ADP Vulnrichment","metrics":[{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"timestamp":"2026-03-11T00:00:00+00:00","options":[{"Exploitation":"none"},{"Automatable":"no"},{"Technical Impact":"total"}],"role":"CISA Coordinator","version":"2.0.3","id":"CVE-2026-20040"}}}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"CISA-ADP","orgId":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","dateUpdated":"2026-03-12T03:55:35.692Z"}}]}}}