CVE-2026-20046 HIGH

CVE-2026-20046: Cisco IOS XR Software CLI Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Vendor Cisco
Product Cisco IOS XR Software
Weakness CWE-264
Published March 11, 2026
Last update March 12, 2026

CVSS base score

8.8/10
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required Low
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

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

What the vulnerability does

01Description

A vulnerability in task group assignment for a specific CLI command in Cisco IOS XR Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to elevate privileges and gain full administrative control of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to incorrect mapping of a command to task groups within the source code. An attacker with a low-privileged account could exploit this vulnerability by using the CLI command to bypass the task group–based checks. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate privileges and perform actions on an affected device without authorization checks.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

March 11, 2026 CVE published
March 12, 2026 Record updated