Introduction

A critical authentication bypass flaw (CVE-2026-20127) in Cisco SD-WAN systems has been actively exploited by attackers since 2023, allowing them to gain administrative privileges on affected systems and manipulate network configurations. According to CISA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, this vulnerability, along with a path traversal vulnerability (CVE-2022-20775), has been used to target organizations globally, highlighting the growing importance of cybersecurity in protecting critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, developers and IT systems are facing targeted attacks, including fake job interviews and malicious repositories, which have been linked to North Korean fake job-recruitment campaigns, as reported by DarkReading.

The threat landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with attackers using sophisticated tactics to gain access to sensitive information and disrupt operations. As noted by CISA, these threats highlight the need for organizations to prioritize cybersecurity and take immediate action to protect themselves against these types of attacks.

CVE-2026-20127: Cisco SD-WAN Vulnerabilities Under Active Exploitation

The Cisco SD-WAN authentication bypass vulnerability (CVE-2026-20127) allows attackers to gain administrative privileges on affected systems, enabling them to manipulate network configurations and disrupt operations. This vulnerability exists because the peering authentication mechanism in an affected system is not working properly, allowing an attacker to send crafted requests to an affected system and obtain administrative privileges, as explained by NVD.

Authentication Bypass Flaw

The authentication bypass flaw (CVE-2026-20127) is a critical vulnerability that allows attackers to gain administrative privileges on affected systems. According to NVD, this vulnerability exists because the peering authentication mechanism in an affected system is not working properly.

Path Traversal Vulnerability

The path traversal vulnerability (CVE-2022-20775) enables attackers to execute arbitrary commands as the root user. As reported by BleepingComputer, this vulnerability has been exploited in zero-day attacks since 2023, allowing attackers to compromise controllers and add malicious rogue peers to targeted networks.

These vulnerabilities have been used to target organizations globally, including Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies, as noted by CISA. According to CISA, these threats highlight the need for organizations to prioritize cybersecurity and take immediate action to protect themselves against these types of attacks.

Targeted Attacks on Developers and IT Systems

Malicious actors are targeting developers with fake job interviews and repositories to gain access to their systems and steal sensitive information. As reported by DarkReading, these attacks have been linked to North Korean fake job-recruitment campaigns, which aim to establish persistent access to infected machines.

Fake Job Interviews

The fake job interviews are used to gain access to developers' systems and steal sensitive information. According to BleepingComputer, these attacks involve posing as legitimate Next.js projects and technical assessment materials, including recruiting coding tests.

Malicious Repositories

The malicious repositories are used to establish persistent access to infected machines. As noted by DarkReading, these repositories are aimed at targeting developers and gaining access to their systems.

These attacks highlight the growing threat of social engineering and supply chain attacks in the IT industry. According to CISA, organizations must be vigilant in verifying the authenticity of job offers and repositories to avoid falling victim to these types of attacks.

Recommendations and Takeaways

To protect against these threats, organizations should immediately inventory and patch all Cisco SD-WAN systems to prevent exploitation, as advised by CISA. Organizations should also collect artifacts, including virtual snapshots and logs off of SD-WAN systems to support threat hunt activities.

Developers and IT professionals should be cautious of fake job interviews and repositories, and verify the authenticity of any offers or requests. As reported by DarkReading, organizations should also implement robust security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and regular software updates, to protect against these threats.

Here are some specific action items for security practitioners:

Inventory and patch all Cisco SD-WAN systems to prevent exploitation
Collect artifacts, including virtual snapshots and logs off of SD-WAN systems to support threat hunt activities
Implement robust security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and regular software updates
Verify the authenticity of job offers and repositories to avoid falling victim to social engineering and supply chain attacks
Use pairwise keys for control and data plane security
Limit session timeout to the shortest period possible
Forward logs to a remote syslog server

By taking these steps, organizations can protect themselves against these types of threats and ensure the security and integrity of their systems.

Articles tagged: developer-targeting

Cisco SD-WAN Under Attack