If left unpatched, CVE-2026-20023 could lead to major system disruptions or data loss.
Status: Received on 04 Mar 2026, 19:16 UTC
Published on: 04 Mar 2026, 19:16 UTC
CVSS Release: version 3
psirt@cisco.com
Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVE-2026-20023: A vulnerability in the OSPF protocol of Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to corrupt memory on an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. This vulnerability is due to memory corruption when parsing OSPF protocol packets. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted OSPF packets to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause memory corruption causing the affected device to reboot, resulting in a DoS condition.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-20023 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
CVE-2026-20023 presents a challenge to exploit due to its high attack complexity, but the absence of privilege requirements still makes it a viable target for skilled attackers. A thorough security review is advised.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-20023, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-20023, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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