January 2026 Critical CVE Round-Up

January 2026 opened the year with a strong reminder that enterprise security vulnerabilities remain a top priority for defenders. This month was marked by the active exploitation of a critical Oracle vulnerability, disclosed as part of the Oracle January 2026 Critical Patch Update, alongside high-risk SAP flaws affecting S/4HANA environments.As attackers continue to focus on business-critical platforms like databases, ERP systems, and identity-adjacent services, security teams must balance rapid patch management with effective detection and response.

This January 2026 CVE roundup focuses primarily on CVE-2026-20805, an actively exploited Oracle vulnerability, while also highlighting additional SAP issues that expand the enterprise attack surface.

Why January’s CVEs Matter

The vulnerabilities disclosed in January reinforce a trend observed throughout 2025: threat actors are prioritizing systems that underpin core business operations. Oracle and SAP platforms are especially attractive targets due to the sensitive data they manage and their deep integration across enterprise environments.

When exploitation occurs in these systems, the impact often extends beyond a single host which enables remote code execution, privilege escalation, or persistent access that is difficult to detect. These risks make timely patching and validation critical at the start of the year.  Practice CVE mitigation with hands-on labs in INE’s Skill Dive Vulnerabilities Lab Collection.

Top January 2026 CVEs Security Teams Must Prioritize

1. Oracle January CPU Zero-Day (CVE-2026-20805)

Impact: Remote Code Execution / Unauthorized Access

Severity: Critical

Status: Actively exploited in the wild

Vendor: Oracle

CVE-2026-20805 is the most significant vulnerability disclosed in January 2026. Addressed in the Oracle January 2026 Critical Patch Update, this flaw is already seeing active exploitation, elevating it from a routine patching issue to an incident-response concern.

While Oracle CPUs typically include dozens of fixes, CVE-2026-20805 stands out due to confirmed attacker activity and its potential impact on enterprise Oracle deployments, including database and middleware environments.

Why it matters:

• Confirmed active exploitation by threat actors

• Impacts widely deployed Oracle enterprise systems

• Potential for full system compromise depending on configuration

• High-value target for financially motivated and advanced adversaries

Mitigation:

• Apply the Oracle January 2026 Critical Patch Update immediately

• Prioritize internet-facing and externally accessible Oracle assets

• Review logs for anomalous access, execution, or privilege escalation

• Treat unpatched exposed systems as potentially compromised

2. SAP SQL Injection Vulnerability – S/4HANA Private Cloud & On-Premise

Impact: SQL Injection → Data Exposure / System Manipulation

Severity: High / Critic

Affected Platforms: SAP S/4HANA Private Cloud, On-Premise

SAP disclosed a high-risk SQL injection vulnerability affecting S/4HANA deployments in both private cloud and on-premise environments. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to manipulate backend queries, access sensitive ERP data, or interfere with business-critical processes.

Why it matters:

• SQL injection remains a reliable and damaging attack vector

• S/4HANA systems contain financial, operational, and regulatory data

• Exploitation significantly expands the enterprise attack surface

Mitigation:

• Apply SAP security notes and patches promptly

• Review custom code and integrations interacting with affected components

• Monitor for abnormal database queries or access patterns
  
  

3. Additional SAP S/4HANA Vulnerability (Private Cloud & On-Premise)

Impact: Unauthorized Access / Business Logic Abuse

Severity: High

Affected Platforms: SAP S/4HANA

In addition to the SQL injection issue, SAP’s January updates addressed another high-risk vulnerability affecting S/4HANA environments. While not actively exploited at disclosure, the flaw could enable unauthorized access or manipulation of business logic under certain conditions.

Why it matters:

• Apply all relevant January SAP patches

• Review role-based access controls and privilege assignments

• Validate critical workflows following patch deployment

Prioritization Strategy for January 2026

1. Respond immediately to active exploitation

• Oracle CVE-2026-20805 should be the highest priority

• Patch, isolate, and investigate exposed Oracle systems

2. Secure ERP and database environments

• SAP S/4HANA SQL injection vulnerability

• Additional high-risk SAP flaws disclosed in January

3. Reduce enterprise attack surface

• Strengthen monitoring around database and ERP access

• Look for indicators of compromise following delayed patching

January 2026 makes it clear that actively exploited vulnerabilities continue to emerge in platforms central to enterprise operations. The exploitation of CVE-2026-20805 highlights how quickly attackers move once high-impact flaws become public—especially within Oracle and ERP ecosystems.

Defending against these risks requires more than tracking advisories. It demands hands-on experience with exploitation paths, patch validation, and detection techniques tailored to complex enterprise systems.

INE Security’s hands-on cybersecurity training equips professionals with the real-world skills needed to manage patch cycles, identify exploitation attempts, and secure enterprise platforms with confidence.

Start the year prepared. Reduce risk. Train with INE.