CVE-2026-20045 Cisco Unified Communications Manager: command or code injection
In plain words: The program treats text it receives as instructions instead of plain data. The attacker can run commands on the machine — often the whole device is taken over.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Feb 11, 2026
What to do
- Install Cisco's security update for Unified Communications Manager. 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 Unified Communications Products Code Injection Vulnerability
- Product
- Cisco Unified Communications Manager
- CISA description
- Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM), Cisco Unified Communications Manager Session Management Edition (Unified CM SME), Cisco Unified Communications Manager IM & Presence Service (Unified CM IM&P), Cisco Unity Connection, and Cisco Webex Calling Dedicated Instance contain a code injection vulnerability that could allow the attacker to obtain user-level access to the underlying operating system and then elevate privileges to root.
- Type of flaw
- Command or code injection (CWE-94)
- Confirmed exploited
- Jan 21, 2026
- US federal patch deadline
- Feb 11, 2026
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Answering about CVE-2026-20045 ·
Questions about CVE-2026-20045
Is CVE-2026-20045 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2026-20045 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Jan 21, 2026, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2026-20045?
Install Cisco's security update for Unified Communications Manager. 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-2026-20045?
Only if you use Cisco Unified Communications Manager. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.