# Cisco IOS XE security vulnerabilities

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/cisco-ios-xe-security-vulnerabilities
> Updated: 2026-08-20T08:13:51.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

Cisco released an emergency security update for its IOS XE operating system to address seven newly discovered vulnerabilities. The most severe flaw, CVE-2026-20272, carries a CVSS rating of 9.8 and could allow remote code execution. Other identified issues include improper access control, buffer overflows, and input validation errors. Cisco advised that no work-arounds exist and urged immediate updates for affected IOS XE releases.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-20: Cisco and Citrix issue urgent patches for critical security vulnerabilities

Cisco and Citrix have issued urgent security updates to address critical vulnerabilities, including SQL injection, authentication bypass, and remote code execution risks in their respective networking products.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cisco-and-citrix-issue-urgent-patches-for-critical-security-vulnerabilities

### 2026-08-06: Cisco issues emergency patch for critical IOS XE security flaws

Cisco released an emergency patch for IOS XE, fixing seven critical vulnerabilities including CVE‑2026‑20272 (CVSS 9.8) with no work‑arounds, urging immediate updates.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cisco-issues-emergency-patch-for-critical-ios-xe-security-flaws

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Cite as: Cisco IOS XE security vulnerabilities. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/cisco-ios-xe-security-vulnerabilities