CVE-2022-20818 Cisco SD-WAN Software Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities

High 7.8 Published 30 Sep 2022 Updated 26 Feb 2026

Authenticated local attackers can exploit improper CLI access controls to execute arbitrary commands as root, requiring immediate patching.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Any signed-in user
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2022-20818?

CVE-2022-20818 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco SD-WAN Solution, published on 30 Sep 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

Multiple vulnerabilities in the CLI of Cisco SD-WAN Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to gain elevated privileges. These vulnerabilities are due to improper access controls on commands within the application CLI. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by running a malicious command on the application CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as the root user.

Weakness: CWE-22, CWE-25

Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-20818?

It affects 4 products.

Products include Cisco Sd-Wan, Cisco Sd-Wan Vbond Orchestrator, Cisco Sd-Wan Vmanage, Cisco Sd-Wan Vsmart Controller.

How do I fix CVE-2022-20818?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-20818 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

Is CVE-2022-20818 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-20818 exists.

Public exploit code: 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.

Sources

Also known as GHSA-8whp-gj34-8pwr.