Security assessments indicate that CVE-2026-20052 presents a notable risk, potentially requiring prompt mitigation.
Status: Awaiting Analysis
Last updated: 🕢 05 Mar 2026, 19:39 UTC
Originally published on: 🕕 04 Mar 2026, 18:16 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 1 days
CVSS Release: version 3
psirt@cisco.com
Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L
CVE-2026-20052: A vulnerability in the memory management handling for the Snort 3 Detection Engine of Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the Snort 3 Detection Engine to restart. This vulnerability is due to a logic error in memory management when a device is performing Snort 3 SSL packet inspection. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted SSL packets through an established connection to be parsed by the Snort 3 Detection Engine. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition when the Snort 3 Detection Engine unexpectedly restarts.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-20052 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).
With low attack complexity and no required privileges, CVE-2026-20052 is an easy target for cybercriminals. Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
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-2026-20052, 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-2026-20052, 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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