CVE-2022-20775 Cisco SD-WAN: file path flaw
In plain words: The program can be tricked into reading or writing files outside the folder it should stay in. Leaks files such as passwords and settings, or overwrites important ones.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Feb 27, 2026
What to do
- Install Cisco's security update for SD-WAN. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- Cisco SD-WAN Path Traversal Vulnerability
- Product
- Cisco SD-WAN
- CISA description
- Cisco SD-WAN CLI contains a path traversal vulnerability that could allow an authenticated local attacker to gain elevated privileges via improper access controls on commands within the application CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as the root user.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-25, CWE-282)
- Confirmed exploited
- Feb 25, 2026
- US federal patch deadline
- Feb 27, 2026
Ask Cleus about it
Ask about a vulnerability, an update, a weird message, or the news. Plain-word answers, free, no account.
Answering about CVE-2022-20775 ·
Questions about CVE-2022-20775
Is CVE-2022-20775 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2022-20775 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Feb 25, 2026, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2022-20775?
Install Cisco's security update for SD-WAN. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2022-20775?
Only if you use Cisco SD-WAN. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.