CVE-2026-20046
HIGHDescription
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.
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Low risk: more likely to be exploited than 3% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2012-1456 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1459 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2012-1446 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1443 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1442 | Medium | 4.3 | 99% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1457 | Medium | 4.3 | 98% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2026-20046?
Upgrade ios xr to 25.2.2 or later.
Is CVE-2026-20046 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2026-20046 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 0.14% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 3% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2026-20046?
CVE-2026-20046 has a CVSS v3 base score of 8.8, rated high. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2026-20046 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for ios xr (NVD). Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
Embed a live status badge for CVE-2026-20046
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TridentStack Control continuously scans your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet for known vulnerabilities, prioritizes them by severity and active exploitation, and patches them automatically.
This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-07-01.