CVE-2026-20051 Details
Description
A vulnerability with the Ethernet VPN (EVPN) Layer 2 ingress packet processing of Cisco Nexus 3600 Platform Switches and Cisco Nexus 9500-R Series Switching Platforms could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to trigger a Layer 2 traffic loop. This vulnerability is due to a logic error when processing a crafted Layer 2 ingress frame. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a stream of crafted Ethernet frames through the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause a Layer 2 Virtual eXtensible LAN (VxLAN) traffic loop, which, in turn, could result in a denial of service (DoS) condition. This Layer 2 loop could oversubscribe the bandwidth on network interfaces, which would result in all data plane traffic being dropped. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must be Layer 2-adjacent to the affected device. Note: To stop active exploitation of this vulnerability, manual intervention is required to both stop the crafted traffic and flap all involved network interfaces. For additional assistance if a Layer 2 loop that is related to this vulnerability is suspected, contact the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) or the proper support provider.
A denial-of-service vulnerability has been identified in the Ethernet VPN (EVPN) Layer 2 ingress packet processing of Cisco Nexus 3600 Platform Switches and Cisco Nexus 9500-R Series Switching Platforms. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to create a Layer 2 traffic loop by sending a stream of crafted Ethernet frames through the targeted device. The resulting loop can oversubscribe the bandwidth on network interfaces, causing all data plane traffic to be dropped. To stop active exploitation, manual intervention is required to halt the crafted traffic and reset all involved network interfaces.
Cisco has released software updates to address this vulnerability. For guidance on determining which Cisco NX-OS Software release to upgrade to, consult the 'Recommended Releases' documents available for each Cisco Nexus Switch series. Instructions for downloading the fixed software can be found on the Cisco Support and Downloads page.
Metrics
CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings:
CVSS 3.x Severity and Vector Strings:
No data available for CVSS Version 2.0 on this CVE.
Volerion
Assessed Feb 25, 2026CISA-ADP
Assessed Feb 25, 2026References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
By selecting these links, you will be leaving this site. These are references gathered from the official CVE record and are not endorsed by Volerion.
| URL | Source(s) | Tag(s) |
|---|---|---|
| https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-nxos-ether-dos-Kv8YNWZ4 | [email protected] | AdvisoryRemedyVendor |
Weakness Enumeration
| CWE-ID | CWE Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CWE-457 | Use of Uninitialized Variable | [email protected] |
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| Cisco Nexus 3600 | All versions |
CPE
Remediation
| |
| Cisco Nexus 9500-R | All versions |
CPE
Remediation
| |
Change History
3 change records found show changes
| Date | Action | Recorded By |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2026 | CVE Modified | [email protected] |
| Jun 17, 2026 | CVE Modified | CISA-ADP |
| Feb 25, 2026 | New CVE Received | [email protected] |
Volerion