by Kastro
Paper/Archive/CVE-2025-20281

CVE-2025-20281

Cisco Cisco Identity Services Engine Software — Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

KEV · due 18 AugEPSS 98%public exploitSSVC actCVSS 10.0
critical.is priorityof 100
100
CVSS 10.0 (CNA)10.0 / 10 × 3030.0In CISA KEV+3030.0EPSS percentile 99.9.999 × 2020.0Exploit: SSVC active+1010.0SSVC exploitation: active+1010.0
Description · from the CVE record

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.

Affected

ProductAffectedFixed inSource
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software3.3.0–CNA
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software3.3 Patch 2–CNA
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software3.3 Patch 1–CNA
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software3.3 Patch 3–CNA
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software3.4.0–CNA
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software3.3 Patch 4–CNA
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software3.4 Patch 1–CNA
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software3.3 Patch 5–CNA
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software3.3 Patch 6–CNA

Scores by source

cisco (CNA)10.0CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA ADPSSVCExploitation: active · Automatable: yes · Technical impact: total

References

refsec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-unauth-rce-ZAd2GnJ6exploitzerodayinitiative.com/blog/2025/7/24/cve-2025-20281-cisco-ise-api-unauthenticated-remote-code-execution-vulnerabilityrefcisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-20281kevcisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog