What happened
A high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Meeting Management was disclosed that can allow authenticated remote attackers to upload arbitrary files and gain control of affected systems. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-20098, exists in the Certificate Management feature of the web-based management interface due to improper input validation. An attacker with valid credentials and at least the “video operator” role can send a crafted HTTP request that tricks the system into accepting malicious files instead of valid certificates. These files can be processed by the system’s root account, enabling execution of arbitrary commands with elevated privileges on the server. The vulnerability affects Cisco Meeting Management releases 3.12 and earlier, and Cisco has released patched software (3.12.1 MR or later) to remediate the issue. There are no available configuration workarounds that block the exploit.
Who is affected
Operators of Cisco Meeting Management systems with vulnerable releases and authenticated users with at least “video operator” privileges are affected, as the flaw allows exploitation that leads to arbitrary file upload and root-level command execution.
Why CISOs should care
Authenticated arbitrary file upload flaws in core collaboration infrastructure can lead to full system compromise, privilege escalation, and lateral movement, especially when elevated privileges such as root execution are achievable within affected environments.
3 practical actions
- Apply the Cisco patch. Upgrade Cisco Meeting Management to release 3.12.1 MR or later to eliminate the input validation flaw.
- Review authenticated roles. Audit users with “video operator” and higher privileges to minimize unnecessary access.
- Monitor for anomalous uploads. Detect suspicious file upload attempts or unusual certificate management activity on meeting management interfaces.