Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
- Published
- Last modified
- Where the record stands: published, rejected by its publisher, or superseded by another id.What do these mean? →
- published
- Whether CISA lists it in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog: proof that attackers are using it.What do these mean? →
- Listed in CISA KEV
- How many real-world setups can hit the bug, from the vendor's advisory and CISA data. It does not know your setup.What do these mean? →
- Actively exploited
- Fix
- Fixed in 3.3 Patch 7
- Whether working attack code is public (Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei or GitHub). Public code makes attacks easier.What do these mean? →
- None on Exploit-DB, Metasploit or GitHub
Summary
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC) are affected by this flaw. An unauthenticated remote attacker could send a specially crafted request to a specific API and run arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with root privileges, giving them full control of the device.
Summarized by anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5. Verify details against the original sources.
Read the original description
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.
Timeline
- CVE published
- Added to CISA KEV
CISA has evidence of exploitation in the wild
- CISA remediation deadline
Due date for US federal agencies to patch
- Record last updated
- EPSS reached 10%
FIRST estimates at least a 10% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Affected versions
- 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
References 1
sec.cloudapps.cisco.com
Questions about CVE-2025-20281
What does this mean?
An unauthenticated attacker can send crafted requests to the Cisco ISE API and run arbitrary code on the underlying operating system with root privileges. The flaw sits in the API, so no login is needed to reach it.Source: sec.cloudapps.cisco.com
Am I affected, and how do I check?
Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC releases 3.3 and 3.4 are affected, regardless of device configuration. To check a deployment, look at the installed ISE release version in the admin portal or the show version command on the appliance.Source: sec.cloudapps.cisco.com
What should I do about it?
Upgrade to Cisco ISE 3.3 Patch 7 or a later fixed release. Cisco's advisory lists 3.3 Patch 7 as the fix for this vulnerability.Source: sec.cloudapps.cisco.com
Is it being exploited?
Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2025-07-28, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked.Source: cisa.gov, cve.now feed data