China-linked APT UAT-9686 is targeting Cisco Secure Email Gateway and Secure Email and Web Manager

Security Affairs

December 19, 2025 at 8:53 AM

Actively Exploited

CVE Zero-day Cisco Vulnerability APT Critical

Overview

Cisco has disclosed a critical zero-day vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-20393, affecting its Secure Email Gateway and Secure Email/Web Manager products. This vulnerability is currently being exploited by a China-linked advanced persistent threat group known as UAT-9686. The attack campaign began on December 10 and targets specific systems, raising significant concerns for organizations relying on these Cisco products. Users and administrators should be particularly vigilant, as this active exploitation could lead to unauthorized access and data breaches. The urgency of addressing this vulnerability cannot be overstated, given its potential impact on email security and the sensitive information handled by these systems.

Key Takeaways

Active Exploitation: This vulnerability is being actively exploited by attackers. Immediate action is recommended.
Affected Systems: Cisco Secure Email Gateway, Cisco Secure Email/Web Manager
Action Required: Organizations should apply available security patches for the affected Cisco products.
Timeline: Newly disclosed

Original Article Summary

Cisco disclosed a critical zero-day (CVE-2025-20393) in Secure Email Gateway and Secure Email and Web Manager, actively exploited by a China-linked group. Cisco disclosed a critical zero-day, tracked as CVE-2025-20393, in Secure Email Gateway and Secure Email/Web Manager, which is actively exploited by a China-linked threat group. Cisco reported a December 10 campaign targeting certain […]

Impact

Cisco Secure Email Gateway, Cisco Secure Email/Web Manager

Exploitation Status

This vulnerability is confirmed to be actively exploited by attackers in real-world attacks. Organizations should prioritize patching or implementing workarounds immediately.

Timeline

Newly disclosed

Remediation

Organizations should apply available security patches for the affected Cisco products. They should also review their email security configurations and implement additional monitoring for unusual activity related to email traffic. Regular updates and security assessments are recommended to mitigate risks from this vulnerability.

Additional Information

This threat intelligence is aggregated from trusted cybersecurity sources. For the most up-to-date information, technical details, and official vendor guidance, please refer to the original article linked below.

Related Topics: This incident relates to CVE, Zero-day, Cisco, and 3 more.

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