CVE-2026-20268
Received Received - Intake

Memory Buffer Overflow in Cisco IOS XE Software

Publication date: 2026-08-05

Last updated on: 2026-08-05

Assigner: Cisco Systems, Inc.

Description
As part of Cisco's ongoing commitment to proactive security and product quality, the Cisco IOS XE Software engineering team has conducted a comprehensive internal security review. This review resulted in software hardening releases that address multiple internally discovered vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities tracked by CVE-2026-20268 are related to issues with improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer that are grouped under the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) Pillar CWE-119.

CVSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-05
Last Modified
2026-08-05
Generated
2026-08-05
AI Q&A
2026-08-05
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-20268
EUVD
EUVD-2026-53454

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
cisco ios_xe *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-119 The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary. This may result in read or write operations on unexpected memory locations that could be linked to other variables, data structures, or internal program data.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a buffer overflow issue in Cisco IOS XE Software, where improper restrictions on memory operations allow for potential exploitation. It falls under CWE-119, which involves failures to constrain memory operations within expected boundaries.

Detection Guidance

Detection of CVE-2026-20268 requires checking for memory buffer overflow issues in Cisco IOS XE Software. Cisco recommends reviewing system logs for crashes or memory corruption events. Use commands like 'show logging' to inspect logs and 'show memory summary' to monitor memory usage. If suspicious activity is detected, update to the latest patched version immediately.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The high CVSS score (8.6) indicates significant potential impact, including system crashes or unauthorized access.

Compliance Impact

The vulnerability involves improper memory buffer restrictions, which could lead to denial-of-service conditions. This may impact compliance by disrupting data availability, a key requirement under GDPR and HIPAA. However, specific compliance impacts depend on system configuration and deployment.

Mitigation Strategies

Update Cisco IOS XE Software to the latest patched version to address memory buffer issues. Monitor Cisco's security advisories for specific release notes. Apply network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure.

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