# CVE-2026-20223: Cisco Secure Workload Unauthorized API Access Vulnerability

> Unauthenticated attackers can access internal REST APIs to read sensitive data and modify configurations with Site Admin privileges.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 May 2026
- **Updated:** 21 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p3hw-qj46-c684

## What is CVE-2026-20223?

CVE-2026-20223 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Secure Workload, published on 20 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the access validation of internal REST APIs of Cisco Secure Workload could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access site resources with the privileges of the Site Admin role.

This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation and authentication when accessing REST API endpoints. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability if they are able to send a crafted API request to an affected endpoint. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to read sensitive information and make configuration changes across tenant boundaries with the privileges of the Site Admin user. 

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-20223?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Secure Workload.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-20223?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-20223 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-20223 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20223 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2026-20223 (github_poc): https://github.com/HORKimhab/CVE-2026-20223

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Secure Workload

- [CVE-2023-20136](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20136/): Privilege escalation in Cisco Secure Workload (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-20223 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-20223 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Secure Workload, published on 20 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20223 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Secure Workload. 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-2026-20223/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20223/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-20223
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-20223
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-20223

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20223/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.