CVE-2026-76506 in Unified Computing System Central Software
Summary
by MITRE • 11/04/2026
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco UCS Central Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to achieve remote code execution or conduct information disclosure attacks on an affected device.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input in an HTTP request. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to an affected endpoint on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands, write arbitrary files to the filesystem, and obtain sensitive information. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid user credentials on the affected device. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2026
The identified security flaw resides within the web-based management interface of Cisco UCS Central Software, presenting a critical risk to infrastructure administrators and operators who rely on centralized control for their data center environments. This vulnerability is classified as an insufficient input validation issue, specifically falling under CWE-20 Improper Input Validation in industry standard taxonomies. The core technical deficiency lies in the application's failure to adequately sanitize or validate user-supplied data contained within HTTP requests before processing them. Because the management interface serves as a primary point of interaction for system configuration and monitoring, any compromise here provides direct access to sensitive operational controls. An attacker who has obtained valid credentials through phishing, credential stuffing, or other means can leverage this flaw by constructing maliciously crafted HTTP requests targeting specific endpoints within the application logic.
The exploitation path is straightforward yet severe due to the high privilege level typically associated with management interfaces. Once an authenticated session is established, the attacker sends a specially formatted request that triggers the input validation failure. This allows for arbitrary command execution on the underlying operating system hosting the UCS Central software. The impact extends beyond simple remote code execution; the vulnerability enables attackers to write arbitrary files to the filesystem, which can be used to establish persistence mechanisms, deploy additional malware, or modify configuration files to maintain access even if credentials are rotated. Furthermore, the flaw facilitates information disclosure attacks, allowing adversaries to extract sensitive data such as network topology details, user configurations, and potentially cryptographic keys stored within the application's context. This aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to Command and Scripting Interpreter execution and File and Directory Discovery, highlighting the breadth of potential post-exploitation activities available to an adversary who successfully exploits this weakness.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations managing large-scale Cisco Unified Computing System deployments. Since exploitation requires valid user credentials, it represents a privilege escalation scenario where an insider threat or compromised account can lead to full system compromise. The ability to write arbitrary files and execute commands effectively grants the attacker root-level access depending on how the UCS Central service is configured and run. This level of control allows for lateral movement within the data center, potential disruption of services through denial-of-service actions via resource exhaustion, and exfiltration of proprietary business information stored or processed by the management platform. The lack of workarounds means that organizations cannot rely on configuration changes to mitigate this risk; they must apply vendor-provided patches immediately upon availability.
Mitigation strategies focus primarily on timely patching and access control hardening. Cisco has released software updates that address these specific input validation flaws, and administrators are strongly advised to upgrade their UCS Central Software versions to the fixed releases as soon as possible. In addition to applying patches, organizations should enforce strict network segmentation policies to limit exposure of management interfaces to only authorized administrative subnets. Implementing multi-factor authentication for all user accounts accessing the web interface adds a critical layer of defense against credential theft, reducing the likelihood that an attacker can obtain the valid credentials required to trigger this vulnerability. Regular auditing of access logs and monitoring for anomalous HTTP request patterns can also aid in early detection of exploitation attempts before significant damage occurs.