Cisco Identity Services Engine Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation, Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-266 and CWE-78.
Summary
A vulnerability in the REST API of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to perform a command injection attack and elevate privileges to root. This vulnerability is due to insufficient input validation for specific API endpoints. An attacker in a man-in-the-middle position could exploit this vulnerability by intercepting and modifying specific internode communications from one ISE persona to another ISE persona. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to run arbitrary commands with root privileges on the underlying operating system. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to decrypt HTTPS traffic between two ISE personas that are located on separate nodes.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco | Cisco Identity Services Engine Software | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Cisco Identity Services Engine Software VendorCisco Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 24
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.4.0 to before 2.6.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.4\(0.902\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.4(0.902) | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6\(0.156\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6(0.156) | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 patch1 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 patch2 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 patch3 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 patch5 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 patch6 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 patch7 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.4.0 to before 2.6.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.4\(0.902\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.4(0.902) Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6\(0.156\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6(0.156) Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 patch1 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 patch2 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 patch3 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 patch5 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 patch6 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 patch7 Vulnerable ·Cisco
Show 14 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch8:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 patch8 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch9:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.0 patch9 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7\(0.903\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7(0.903) | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.0 patch1 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.0 patch2 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.0 patch3 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.7.0 patch4 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0\(0.458\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.0(0.458) | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.0.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.0.0 patch1 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.0.0 patch2 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.0.0 patch3 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.1\(0.440\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.1(0.440) | Vulnerable | Cisco |
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch8:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 patch8 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.6.0:patch9:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.0 patch9 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7\(0.903\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7(0.903) Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.0 patch1 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.0 patch2 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.0 patch3 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:2.7.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.7.0 patch4 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0\(0.458\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0(0.458) Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0.0 patch1 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0.0 patch2 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.0.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0.0 patch3 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.1\(0.440\):*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.1(0.440) Vulnerable ·Cisco
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-1594
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-8rx9-j5hq-fx8v
References
More Cisco Identity Services Engine vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-53488 Cisco Identity Services Engine Authentication Bypass Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2025-14632 Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2025-14578 Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2021-19919 Apache Log4j2 JNDI features do not protect against attacker controlled LDAP and other JNDI related endpoints KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2025-14579 Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2022-05522 OS command injection in Cisco Identity Services Engine Software CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
- CVE-2021-1594 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-1594 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-8rx9-j5hq-fx8v · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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