{"id":"CVE-2025-20281","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2025-20281"],"related":[],"title":"A vulnerability in a specific API of Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to…","description":"Cisco Identity Services Engine contains an injection vulnerability in a specific API of Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input allowing an attacker to exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted API request. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to perform remote code execution and obtaining root privileges on an affected device.\n\nCISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.","summary":"Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and ISE-PIC have an injection flaw in a specific API that does not validate user input. A remote attacker who sends a crafted API request can run commands and gain root on the device.","severity":"critical","cvss":10.0,"epss":null,"exploited":true,"exploited_at":"2025-07-28T00:00:00+00:00","products":[{"name":"Cisco Identity Services Engine","fixed":[],"affected":"","ecosystem":"vendor"},{"name":"cisco identity services engine","fixed":[],"affected":"= 3.3.0","ecosystem":"vendor"},{"name":"cisco identity services engine","fixed":[],"affected":"= 3.4.0","ecosystem":"vendor"},{"name":"cisco identity services engine passive identity connector","fixed":[],"affected":"= 3.3.0","ecosystem":"vendor"},{"name":"cisco identity services engine passive identity connector","fixed":[],"affected":"= 3.4.0","ecosystem":"vendor"}],"ecosystems":["vendor"],"tags":["cisco-ise","exploited","infrastructure","network-access-control","on-prem"],"not_affected_if":["unknown"],"how_to_check":null,"fix":"Apply the mitigations and fixed release from Cisco's advisory, as CISA requires; the sources do not name the fixed version.","status":"open","published_at":"2025-06-25T16:15:26+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-10-23T20:46:38+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-23T22:29:05+00:00","category":"infrastructure","confidence":0.6,"triage":{"at":"2026-10-23T20:46:38Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"Apply the mitigations and fixed release from Cisco's advisory, as CISA requires; the sources do not name the fixed version.","reach":"network","summary":"Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and ISE-PIC have an injection flaw in a specific API that does not validate user input. A remote attacker who sends a crafted API request can run commands and gain root on the device.","category":"infrastructure","who_cares":["cisco-ise","network-access-control","on-prem"],"confidence":0.6,"needs_auth":"unknown","worst_case":"Attacker gets remote code execution and root on the ISE appliance.","analyst_note":"Find the Cisco advisory for CVE-2025-20281 to get affected and fixed versions, the vulnerable API path, and a check command; the KEV entry gives no version data.","how_to_check":"unknown","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["unknown"],"user_interaction":"no","needs_special_setup":"unknown","severity_if_unknown":"critical"},"cost_usd":0.000438,"input_tokens":2611,"output_tokens":354,"severity_before":"unknown"},"analyst_status":null,"analyst_note":null,"search":"'-01':179C '-2025':22A,25A '-20281':23A,26A '22':178C 'access':60B 'action':169C 'affect':165C 'allow':16A,135C,151C 'api':6A,81B,95B,117C,146C 'appli':170C 'applic':176C 'attack':20A,90B,137C,153C 'bod':177C 'cisa':167C 'cisco':8A,11A,27A,31A,35A,39A,46A,54B,65B,106C,119C,122C 'cisco-is':53B 'cloud':182C 'code':157C 'command':99B 'connector':45A,52A 'contain':110C 'control':61B 'could':15A,150C 'craft':94B,145C 'cve':21A,24A 'devic':105B,166C 'discontinu':185C 'due':126C 'engin':68B,109C 'engine':30A,34A,38A,42A,49A 'execut':158C 'exploit':56B,139C,149C 'flaw':77B 'follow':175C 'gain':101B 'guidanc':180C 'ident':66B,107C 'identity':28A,32A,36A,40A,44A,47A,51A 'infrastructur':57B 'inject':76B,112C 'input':87B,134C 'instruct':174C 'insuffici':128C 'ise':9A,13A,55B,69B,72B,120C,124C 'ise-p':12A,71B,123C 'mitig':171C,191C 'network':59B 'network-access-control':58B 'obtain':160C 'on-prem':62B 'passive':43A,50A 'per':172C 'perform':155C 'pic':14A,73B,125C 'prem':64B 'privileg':162C 'product':189C 'remot':19A,89B,156C 'request':96B,147C 'requir':168C 'root':102B,161C 'run':98B 'send':92B 'servic':67B,108C,183C 'services':29A,33A,37A,41A,48A 'specif':5A,80B,116C 'submit':143C 'success':148C 'suppli':133C 'unauthent':18A 'unavail':193C 'use':186C 'user':86B,132C 'user-suppli':131C 'valid':85B,129C 'vendor':173C 'vulner':2A,113C,141C","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":null,"tier":null,"verified":{},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"first_public_at":"2025-06-25T16:15:26+00:00","kev":{"dateAdded":"2025-07-28","dueDate":"2025-08-18","requiredAction":"Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.","knownRansomwareCampaignUse":"Unknown"},"cvss_vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H","cvss_by":"psirt@cisco.com","poc_count":0,"sources":[{"source":"kev","external_id":"CVE-2025-20281","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2025-20281","severity":null,"published_at":"2025-07-28T00:00:00+00:00","modified_at":null,"first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-25T12:39:22+00:00","note":null},{"source":"nvd","external_id":"CVE-2025-20281","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-20281","severity":null,"published_at":"2025-06-25T16:15:26+00:00","modified_at":"2026-06-17T08:41:19+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T22:29:05+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T22:29:05+00:00","note":null}],"documents":[],"notice":"Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai"}