Vulnerability · Published Mar 11, 2026 · Assigned by cisco
CVE-2026-20046Cisco IOS XR Software CLI Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
High 8.8
In plain English
A high-severity security flaw in Cisco IOS XR Software from Cisco. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 5% of all known vulnerabilities).
Official description
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.
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Cisco | Cisco IOS XR Software | 6.6.16.5.37.0.16.5.16.5.26.6.26.6.257.1.1 |
Weakness: CWE-264 · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H