CVE-2026-116606 Barracuda Networks Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG): login or permission bypass
In plain words: A door that should be locked is not: part of the system can be reached without a valid login or permission. The attacker gets in as a user or administrator without knowing a password.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Nov 13, 2026
What to do
- Install Barracuda Networks's security update for Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG). 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
- Barracuda Networks Email Security Gateway (ESG) Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel Vulnerability
- Product
- Barracuda Networks Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG)
- CISA description
- Barracuda Networks Email Security Gateway (ESG) contains an authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel that could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to invoke a configuration-import function and restore a crafted, compatible backup archive, resulting in unauthorized modification of the appliance’s global configuration. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2026-111560.
- Type of flaw
- Login or permission bypass (CWE-288)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 10, 2026
- US federal patch deadline
- Nov 13, 2026
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Answering about CVE-2026-116606 ·
Questions about CVE-2026-116606
Is CVE-2026-116606 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2026-116606 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 10, 2026, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2026-116606?
Install Barracuda Networks's security update for Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG). 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-2026-116606?
Only if you use Barracuda Networks Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG). Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.