Authenticated switch reload via SNMP process exhaustion
Published Feb 25, 2026 · Updated Feb 25, 2026
Denial of service in Cisco NX-OS Software in ACI Mode allows remote authenticated users to reload affected switches via SNMP queries. Continuous queries to a specific MIB cause the SNMP subsystem to spawn accumulating SNMPd processes, exhaust memory, trigger a kernel panic, and reload the device. The flaw is reachable only when SNMP is enabled and an AAA provider uses a DNS name or IPv6 address; SNMPv1/v2c needs a read-only community string, while SNMPv3 needs valid user credentials.
Summary
What happened
Denial of service in Cisco NX-OS Software in ACI Mode allows remote authenticated users to reload affected switches via SNMP queries. Continuous queries to a specific MIB cause the SNMP subsystem to spawn accumulating SNMPd processes, exhaust memory, trigger a kernel panic, and reload the device. The flaw is reachable only when SNMP is enabled and an AAA provider uses a DNS name or IPv6 address; SNMPv1/v2c needs a read-only community string, while SNMPv3 needs valid user credentials.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-20048
- Published
- Feb 25, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 25, 2026
- Vendor
- ClamAV
- Product
- Cisco NX-OS Software in ACI Mode
- Classifications
- CWE-789, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=15.2(1g)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(2e)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(2f)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(2g)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(2h)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(3e)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(3f)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(3g)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(4d)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(4e)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(4f)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(5c)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(5d)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(5e)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(6e)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(6g)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(6h)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(7f)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(7g)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(8d)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(8e)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(8f)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(8g)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(8h)
- Affected versionversion=15.2(8i)
- Affected versionversion=15.3(1d)
- Affected versionversion=15.3(2a)
- Affected versionversion=15.3(2b)
- Affected versionversion=15.3(2c)
- Affected versionversion=15.3(2d)
- Affected versionversion=15.3(2e)
- Affected versionversion=15.3(2f)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(1g)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(1j)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(2h)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(2j)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(3d)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(3e)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(3g)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(4c)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(5h)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(5j)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(6c)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(6h)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(7e)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(8e)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(8f)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(8h)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(9c)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(9d)
- Affected versionversion=16.0(9e)
- Affected versionversion=16.1(1f)
- Affected versionversion=16.1(2f)
- Affected versionversion=16.1(2g)
- Affected versionversion=16.1(3f)
- Affected versionversion=16.1(3g)
- Affected versionversion=16.1(4h)
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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