Full Report
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC that could allow for remote code execution. Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is a security policy management platform that provides secure access to network resources. Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow the attacker to obtain root privileges on an affected device.
Analysis Summary
# Vulnerability: RCE in Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC Due to Input/File Validation Flaws
## CVE Details
- CVE ID: CVE-2025-20281, CVE-2025-20282
- CVSS Score: Not explicitly provided, but risk assessment indicates High impact for large entities. (Severity estimation pending official score)
- CWE: Input Validation Error (Implied by insufficient validation of user-supplied input and lack of file validation checks).
## Affected Systems
- Products: Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE-PIC
- Versions: Release 3.3 and later (Specific fixed versions are not listed in the context, requiring consultation of the vendor advisory).
- Configurations: All configurations running the affected versions are potentially vulnerable.
## Vulnerability Description
Two primary vulnerabilities allow for Remote Code Execution (RCE) leading to root privileges:
1. **CVE-2025-20281 (API Input Validation Flaw):** A vulnerability in a specific Cisco ISE/ISE-PIC API due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can exploit this by submitting a crafted API request to execute arbitrary code on the underlying OS as root.
2. **CVE-2025-20282 (Internal API File Upload Flaw):** A vulnerability in an internal API due to a lack of file validation checks. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can upload arbitrary files to privileged directories and then execute those files on the underlying OS as root, leading to code execution.
## Exploitation
- Status: Not exploited in the wild (As of the advisory date).
- Complexity: Low risk suggested by the "unauthenticated, remote attacker" vector, likely meaning low complexity once knowledge of the flaw is obtained.
- Attack Vector: Network.
## Impact
- Confidentiality: High (Root access implies full system access)
- Integrity: High (Root access implies ability to modify any system data)
- Availability: High (Root access implies ability to disrupt system functions)
## Remediation
### Patches
- **Action Recommended:** Apply appropriate updates provided by Cisco immediately after testing.
- **Specific Versions:** Consult the Cisco Security Advisory for specific fixed versions (Recommended action is M1051: Update Software).
### Workarounds
No specific workarounds are explicitly listed in this summary context, though general recommendations lean heavily on immediate patching.
## Detection
- **Indicators of Compromise:** Signs of unauthorized arbitrary code execution, unexpected file uploads to privileged directories, or root-level process execution originating from network services.
- **Detection Methods and Tools:** Automated vulnerability scanning (authenticated and unauthenticated) should be performed quarterly or more frequently to identify unpatched systems (Safeguard 7.5).
## References
- Vendor Advisories: hXXps://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-unauth-rce-ZAd2GnJ6#details
- CVE-2025-20281: hXXps://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2025-20281
- CVE-2025-20282: hXXps://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2025-20282