TI-2022-05357 Aliases CVE-2022-20798 GHSA-c457-6cm5-j5m6

Cisco Email Security Appliance and Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager External Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

MEDIUM 52CWE-287Published 2022-06-15 · Updated 2024-11-01

Key facts

Attack vector: Network
Privileges required: None
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: Security bypass
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: High · High · High
Fix status: No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-287.

Summary

A vulnerability in the external authentication functionality of Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager, formerly known as Cisco Security Management Appliance (SMA), and Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass authentication and log in to the web management interface of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper authentication checks when an affected device uses Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) for external authentication. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by entering a specific input on the login page of the affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to gain unauthorized access to the web-based management interface of the affected device.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV

EPSS 0.01562 75th percentileScored 2026-11-07

Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation: None
Automatable: Yes
Technical impact: Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions	Fixed in	Status	Source
Cisco	Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA)	all versions	—	No fix listed	CNA

Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) VendorCisco Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 3

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:email_security_appliance::::::::	14.0 to before 14.0.1-033	Vulnerable	Cisco
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:email_security_appliance:7.1.5:::::::*	7.1.5	Vulnerable	Cisco
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_email_and_web_manager::::::::	13.0 to before 13.0.0-277; 13.6 to before 13.6.2-090; 13.8 to before 13.8.1-090; 14.0 to before 14.0.0-418; 14.1 to before 14.1.0-250	Vulnerable	Cisco

cpe:2.3:a:cisco:email_security_appliance:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 14.0 to before 14.0.1-033 Vulnerable ·Cisco
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:email_security_appliance:7.1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1.5 Vulnerable ·Cisco
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:secure_email_and_web_manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.0 to before 13.0.0-277; 13.6 to before 13.6.2-090; 13.8 to before 13.8.1-090; 14.0 to before 14.0.0-418; 14.1 to before 14.1.0-250 Vulnerable ·Cisco

Remediation

No fixed version listed by the sources yet.

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2022-20798
2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-c457-6cm5-j5m6

References

Advisory 1

20220615 Cisco Email Security Appliance and Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager External Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

TI-2019-01567 Cisco Email Security Appliance Denial of Service Vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.6
TI-2018-00378 Improper input validation in Cisco Email Security Appliance CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.5
TI-2020-02695 Cisco Email Security Appliance Content Filter Bypass Vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
TI-2019-01541 Cisco Email Security Appliance Content Filter Bypass Vulnerability CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.5
TI-2019-01553 Cisco Email Security Appliance Content Filter Bypass Vulnerability CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.4
TI-2020-03092 Cisco Email Security Appliance Denial Of Service Vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5

See all 49 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences