Cisco: Open Source Snort 3 Control Channel Socket Arbitrary Command Execution Vulnerability

Description

A vulnerability in the control channel socket implementation of Open Source Snort 3 could allow an authenticated, local attacker with low privileges to execute arbitrary commands as the Snort 3 process user. This vulnerability is due to a lack of authentication when a local user connects to the Snort control channel socket. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by connecting to the Snort 3 control channel socket as a local user. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands as well as read and write Snort 3 process memory. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability. This advisory is available at the following link: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-opensrc-snort3-2fXGJPfe This advisory is part of a group of advisories. For a complete list of the advisories and links to them, see Cisco Advance Notification for Publication of October 21, 2026, Security Advisories . In addition, for further documentation of improvements and fixes in Open Source Snort 3, see Multiple Cisco Products Snort 3 Security Hardening Release: October 2026 . Security Impact Rating: High CVE: CVE-2026-76524

What to do

Install the fixed versions listed in the official advisory. If you cannot update right away, apply the workarounds or mitigations it describes and limit access to the affected service.

Details

Vendor

Cisco

Product

Snort 3

CVE

CVE-2026-76524

Affected versions

Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.12: 3.12.1.0; 3.12.2.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.1: 70 versions, from 3.1.2.0 to 3.1.84.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.2: 3.2.1.0; 3.2.2.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.3: 7 versions, from 3.3.0.0 to 3.3.7.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.5: 3.5.0.0; 3.5.1.0; 3.5.2.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.8: 3.8.1.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.6: 4 versions, from 3.6.0.0 to 3.6.3.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.9: 7 versions, from 3.9.0.0 to 3.9.7.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.7: 5 versions, from 3.7.0.0 to 3.7.4.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.10: 3.10.0.0; 3.10.1.0; 3.10.2.0
Cisco Open Source Snort3 3.11: 3.11.1.0 (from the advisory and NVD; check the exact builds in the official advisory)

CVSS score

7.8

Actively exploited

Not known at this time

Source

Cisco PSIRT – original advisory

Published

October 21, 2026

The description and the recommended action are quoted from the public advisory (the action is our generic advice); severity, exploitation status and affected versions are compiled automatically from public sources and may contain errors. The vendor's original advisory prevails: check it before taking action. This information is provided without warranty and does not replace a professional assessment.