CVE-2026-20242: cisco cisco secure firewall management center (fmc) Deserialization of Untrusted Data
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2026-20242 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in cisco cisco secure firewall management center (fmc). EPSS estimates a 0.64% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 49.7% of scored vulnerabilities.
Timeline
- 16-09-2026PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 18-09-2026Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
A vulnerability in the External Database Access feature of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands as root on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insecure deserialization of a user-supplied Java byte stream from a host that is configured in the external database access list. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted, serialized Java byte stream to a specific TCP port of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the device and elevate privileges to root. Notes: This vulnerability can be exploited only by an attacker who has control of a host in the external database access list. If the FMC management interface does not have public internet access, the attack surface that is associated with this vulnerability is reduced.
CVSS metrics
2 scores · 2 sources · 1 version- NVDNIST9.8CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
0.64%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
50%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
0.00 pp
From 0.64% on 20-09-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogsNot in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Cisco1 product
- cisco secure firewall management center (fmc)7.0.0 | 7.0.0.1 | 7.0.1 | 7.0.1.1 | 7.0.2 | 7.2.0 | 7.0.2.1 | 7.0.3 | 7.2.0.1 | 7.0.4 | 7.2.1 | 7.0.5 | 7.3.0 | 7.2.2 | 7.3.1 | 7.2.3 | 7.2.3.1 | 7.2.4 | 7.0.6 | 7.2.4.1 | 7.2.5 | 7.3.1.1 | 7.4.0 | 7.0.6.1 | 7.2.5.1 | 7.4.1 | 7.2.6 | 7.4.1.1 | 7.0.6.2 | 7.2.7 | 7.2.5.2 | 7.3.1.2 | 7.2.8 | 7.6.0 | 7.4.2 | 7.2.8.1 | 7.0.6.3 | 7.4.2.1 | 7.2.9 | 7.0.7 | 7.7.0 | 7.4.2.2 | 7.2.10 | 7.6.1 | 7.4.2.3 | 7.0.8 | 7.6.2 | 7.7.10 | 7.2.10.1 | 7.0.8.1 | 7.6.2.1 | 7.2.10.2 | 7.7.10.1 | 7.4.2.4 | 7.4.3 | 7.6.3 | 7.7.11 | 7.6.4 | 10.0.0 | 7.4.4 | 7.4.5 | 7.0.9 | 7.2.11 | 7.7.12 | 7.6.5 | 7.4.6 | 10.0.1 | 7.4.7
1 vendor · 1 product