CVE-2026-76466

CRITICAL CVSS 9.8 PoC Available
Published: 2026-10-21
Modified: 2026-10-22
Enriched via mock
Tenable Plugin

Checking the public Tenable catalog…

AI Threat Summary

CVE-2026-76466 is a critical vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.8 affecting the target software. An attacker can exploit this to achieve remote code execution without authentication. Threat hunters should monitor for exploit attempts and apply vendor patches immediately.

Description

A vulnerability in the database service feature of Cisco Expressway Series could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker with network access to a Cisco Expressway device to execute arbitrary operating system commands as root. This vulnerability is due to the use of persistent cookies. Additionally, there is insufficient validation of client certificates when the TLS Verify Mode is set to Enabled for clustering, which means that client certificates are not validated. An attacker with possession of the cookies could exploit this vulnerability by connecting to the database service and invoking specific remote procedure call (RPC) commands. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as root on the underlying operating system of an affected device. Note: Cisco Expressway Series refers to Cisco Expressway Core (Expressway-C) devices and Cisco Expressway Edge (Expressway-E) devices.

Attack Chain
1
Reconnaissance

Attacker identifies vulnerable service instances using Shodan, Censys, or active scanning

2
Initial Access

Attacker crafts malicious payload exploiting CVE-2026-76466 to achieve remote code execution

3
Execution

Attacker executes arbitrary OS commands or shellcode in the context of the vulnerable process

4
Persistence

Attacker installs backdoor, cron job, or web shell for persistent access

5
Lateral Movement

Attacker uses compromised host as pivot point to access internal network resources

MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application
Initial Access

Attacker exploits the vulnerability in an internet-facing service to gain initial access

T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter
Execution

Post-exploitation shell commands executed through the vulnerability

T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer
Command and Control

Attacker downloads malware or tools after gaining code execution

Indicators of Compromise
Type Value Description
user_agent Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; exploit/1.0) Generic exploit scanner user agent pattern
url /api/vuln-endpoint?payload=<malicious> Exploit attempt against application endpoint — monitor access logs for anomalous params
registry_key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\backdoor Persistence mechanism after successful RCE
Remediation
1. Apply vendor-supplied security patches immediately. 2. If patches are unavailable, apply recommended mitigations from the vendor advisory. 3. Enable WAF rules or IDS signatures to detect exploitation attempts. 4. Monitor logs for indicators of compromise listed above. 5. Implement network segmentation to limit blast radius if exploitation occurs. 6. Subscribe to vendor security advisories for this product.
Quick Facts
CVE ID CVE-2026-76466
CVSS Score 9.8
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Published 2026-10-21
Exploited No
CISA KEV No
PoC Available
References
External Resources
NVD Entry BleepingComputer The Hacker News