CVE-2020-26078: Cisco IoT Field Network Director File Overwrite Vulnerability
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 26/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 1.4% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 73.7% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. Administrator privileges are required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- According to the record, no fixed version is available yet.
Low priority for now. Update when a fix is released; follow the vendor's advisory.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
A vulnerability in the file system of Cisco IoT Field Network Director (FND) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to overwrite files on an affected system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient file system protections. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by crafting API requests and sending them to an affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to overwrite files on an affected system.
- Published
- Nov 18, 2020
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 1.4% · 73th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-73
Report tools
Action score
26
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 26 / 40 · 6.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 1.4%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 6.5
- CNA · cisco
- 4.9
- 1.6 point gap
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- No fixed version yet
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
Is your version affected? Check itNoroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| cisco | iot field network director | cpe:2.3:a:cisco:iot_field_network_director |
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (cisco). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Cisco Cisco IoT Field Network Director (IoT-FND)
- n/aaffected
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- cisco iot field network directorbefore 4.6.1
Same product
cisco: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2020-3531Cisco IoT Field Network Director Unauthenticated REST API Vulnerability40Plan
- CVE-2020-26075Cisco IoT Field Network REST API Insufficient Input Validation Vulnerability35Monitor
- CVE-2018-0270A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco IoT Field Network Director (IoT-FND) could allow an unauthenticated, remote…35Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2020-26076Nov 18, 2020 · Cisco IoT Field Network Director Information Disclosure Vulnerability30Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2020-26077Nov 18, 2020 · Cisco IoT Field Network Director Improper Access Control Vulnerability17Monitor
- Later →CVE-2020-26079Nov 18, 2020 · Cisco IoT Field Network Director Unprotected Storage of Credentials Vulnerability19Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
- CVE-2020-35310 days apartCisco IoT Field Network Director Unauthenticated REST API Vulnerability40Plan
- CVE-2020-33920 days apartCisco IoT Field Network Director Missing API Authentication Vulnerability30Monitor
Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · public bounty program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- Administrator privileges are required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-73 · External Control of File Name or PathCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
- Leverage Alternate EncodingCAPEC-267likelihood: High · High
- Using Slashes and URL Encoding Combined to Bypass Validation LogicCAPEC-64likelihood: High · High
- URL EncodingCAPEC-72likelihood: High · High
- Manipulating Web Input to File System CallsCAPEC-76likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Escaped Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-78likelihood: High · High
- Using Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-79likelihood: High · High
- Using UTF-8 Encoding to Bypass Validation LogicCAPEC-80likelihood: High · High
Change log (0)
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.