CVE-2022-20775: Cisco SD-WAN Path Traversal Vulnerability

What it is

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco SD-WAN Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to gain elevated privileges. This vulnerability is due to improper access controls on commands within the application CLI. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by running a maliciously crafted command on the application CLI. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as the root user. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability. https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sd-wan-priv-E6e8tEdF

Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by cisco, published 2022-09-30).

Weakness: Path Traversal: ‘/../filedir’

How it can be exploited

Exploitable with local access with low attack complexity needing low privileges and no user interaction. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high. CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses exploitation as active. Automatable: no. Technical impact: total.

On CISA KEV since

2026-02-25

US federal deadline

2026-02-27

Ransomware use

Not known

Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)

Also known as: BDU:2022-07466, CNNVD-202209-2884, EUVD-2022-26025, GHSA-wmjv-552v-pxjc, GHSA-x65r-rvgh-v43v

Exploit Observer has no public exploit code that names this CVE or one of its aliases.

Research and write-ups (1)

• Research or write-up: https://cve.report/CVE-2022-20775

Vulnerability databases and vendor advisories (6)

Catalogue entries, not exploit evidence.

• Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/enisa/EUVD-2022-26025
• Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-wmjv-552v-pxjc
• Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-x65r-rvgh-v43v
• Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-20775
• Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-20775
• Vulnerability database or vendor advisory: https://www.cnnvd.org.cn/home/globalSearch?keyword=CNNVD-202209-2884

6 more references returned by Exploit Observer did not name this CVE or an alias, so they are left out.

VEDAS data as of 2026-11-01T17:12 UTC; fetched 2026-11-02.

Live scores

EPSS

0.125
likely to be attacked soon

VEDAS

0.541
some exploit evidence

On CISA KEV

Yes, since 2026-02-25

Detection rule

Out of scope (local)

Thin horizontal line: the “likely” (EPSS 0.10) or “strong” (VEDAS 0.90) threshold. Shaded “no data” areas are periods when cve-scores did not publish. The vertical line is the day CISA added it to its exploited list.

Who is affected

Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.

Exploit Observer also maps it to: cisco catalyst_sd-wan_manager, cisco sd-wan, cisco sd-wan_vbond_orchestrator, cisco sd-wan_vedge_cloud, cisco sd-wan_vsmart_controller, cisco_systems,_inc. catalyst_sd-wan_manager, cisco_systems,_inc. cisco_catalyst_sd-wan_controller, cisco_systems,_inc. sd-wan_vedge_cloud.

How to fix it

CISA required action: Please adhere to CISA’s guidelines to assess exposure and mitigate risks associated with Cisco SD-WAN devices as outlines in CISA’s Emergency Directive 26-03 (URL listed below in Notes) and CISA’s “Hunt & Hardening Guidance for Cisco SD-WAN Devices (URL listed below in Notes). Adhere to the applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are not available.

Vendor guidance:

• 20220928 Cisco SD-WAN Software Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities (vendor-advisory, x_transferred)

How to detect it

This bug needs local access to exploit. VEDAS signatures cover remotely exploitable bugs for now, so there is no network rule or remote check for it. Patch it and watch your endpoint telemetry for unusual local activity.

References

Vendor advisories and patches

• 20220928 Cisco SD-WAN Software Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities (vendor-advisory, x_transferred)

Government sources

• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2022-20775 (government-resource)

Other references

• cisco-sa-sd-wan-priv-E6e8tEdF
• https://github.com/orangecertcc/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-wmjv-552v-pxjc (x_transferred)

Other databases

• CVE record (cve.org)
• NVD
• Exploit Observer

Where this comes from

This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, CISA KEV, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.