Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Priority CRITICAL 100Exploited in the wildCWE-74Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
A vulnerability in a specific API of Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the underlying operating system as root. The attacker does not require any valid credentials to exploit this vulnerability. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted API request. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain root privileges on an affected device.
Why it matters now
Exploitation Active In CISA KEV since 2025-07-28CISA due date 2025-08-18
EPSS 0.97601 99th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Active
- Automatable
- Yes
- 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 | 3.3.0; 3.3 Patch 2; 3.3 Patch 1; 3.3 Patch 3; 3.4.0; 3.3 Patch 4; 3.4 Patch 1; 3.3 Patch 5; 3.3 Patch 6 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Cisco Identity Services Engine Software VendorCisco Affected 3.3.0; 3.3 Patch 2; 3.3 Patch 1; 3.3 Patch 3; 3.4.0; 3.3 Patch 4; 3.4 Patch 1; 3.3 Patch 5; 3.3 Patch 6 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 18
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch1 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch2 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch3 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch4 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch5 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch6 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.4.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.4.0 patch1 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch1 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch2 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch3 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch4 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch5 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch6 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.4.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.4.0 patch1 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
Show 8 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch1 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch2 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch3 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch4 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch5 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.3.0 patch6 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.4.0 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
| cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.4.0 patch1 | Vulnerable | Cisco |
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch1 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch2 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch3 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch4 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch5 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.3.0 patch6 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.4.0 Vulnerable ·Cisco
- cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.4.0 patch1 Vulnerable ·Cisco
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2025-07-28 Added to CISA KEV
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-20281
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-rc4f-42xm-hvjw
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-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
- TI-2022-05381 Cisco Identity Services Engine Unauthorized File Access Vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
Sources
- CVE-2025-20281 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-20281 · NVD
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-rc4f-42xm-hvjw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences