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Cisco Secure Email Gateway Zero-Day RCE Exploited in Active Attacks

## Cybersecurity Update: Cisco Vulnerability Advisory

DBy Danielle FrostJan 18, 20261 min read

Cybersecurity Update: Cisco Vulnerability Advisory

Cisco has identified a cyberattack campaign targeting its Secure Email Gateway and Secure Email and Web Manager appliances. The attack involves the execution of arbitrary commands with root-level privileges on compromised systems.

The company discovered the attack on December 10, 2025, during an investigation that uncovered persistent backdoors used by attackers to maintain unauthorized access to affected devices.

The vulnerability, designated as CVE-2025-20393, impacts the Spam Quarantine feature in Cisco AsyncOS Software, with a critical CVSS base score of 10.0. The root cause is improper validation of HTTP requests, which allows unauthenticated remote attackers to send crafted HTTP requests and execute arbitrary system commands.

CVE ID CVSS Score Severity Affected Products

CVE-2025-20393 10.0 Critical Cisco Email Gateway, Email & Web Manager

Cisco has identified a cyberattack campaign targeting its Secure Email Gateway and Secure Email and Web Manager appliances.
Danielle Frost · Thehackingpost

This issue is categorized under CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation), indicating a significant security control lapse. The attack is possible when the following conditions are met: the device runs a vulnerable AsyncOS software release, the Spam Quarantine feature is enabled, and it is exposed directly to the internet.

It is important to note that the Spam Quarantine feature is not enabled by default, and Cisco’s guidelines do not recommend exposing it to internet-facing networks.

Cisco has issued patched software versions to address the vulnerability. Affected users should upgrade to the following versions: Cisco Email Security Gateway 15.0.5-016, 15.5.4-012, or 16.0.4-016; Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager 15.0.2-007, 15.5.4-007, or 16.0.4-010. There are no workarounds available; applying the patch is mandatory for exposed systems.

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Cisco advises immediate upgrades to the fixed releases, which both mitigate the vulnerability and eliminate identified persistence mechanisms.

Organizations are encouraged to verify the Spam Quarantine status through web management interfaces and consider securing appliance access behind firewalls, limiting connectivity to trusted hosts.

Based on reporting by GBHackers.

AI transparency. This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and published under human editorial oversight. AI systems can make mistakes. Read how we use AI (EU AI Act, Art. 50).
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