# CVE-2022-20797: Cisco Secure Network Analytics Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary commands as administrator via the web interface, requiring immediate patching for network analytics deployments.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 27 May 2022
- **Updated:** 6 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q878-24h5-xfhg

## What is CVE-2022-20797?

CVE-2022-20797 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise, published on 27 May 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Secure Network Analytics, formerly Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise, could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands as an administrator on the underlying operating system. This vulnerability is due to insufficient user input validation by the web-based management interface of the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by injecting arbitrary commands in the web-based management interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to make configuration changes on the affected device or cause certain services to restart unexpectedly.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-20797?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Secure Network Analytics.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-20797?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-20797 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-20797 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-20797 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise

- [CVE-2023-20102](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20102/): Cisco Secure Network Analytics Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-20256](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20256/): Cisco Secure Network Analytics Manager Server-Side Template Injection Vulnerability (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2025-20257](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20257/): Cisco Secure Network Analytics API Authorization Vulnerability (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2022-20663](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-20663/): Secure Network Analytics Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2025-20178](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20178/): Cisco Secure Network Analytics Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (medium 6.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-20797 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-20797 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise, published on 27 May 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-20797 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-20797/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-20797/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-20797
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-20797
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-20797

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-20797/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.