CVE-2026-20130

Cisco Identity Services Engine Hardening Release - Improper Neutralization Vulnerabilities

Public exploit available. Not confirmed exploited in the wild yet. No fix published yet.

CVSS 3.110.0Critical EPSS percentile31st0.4% chance in 30 days CISA KEVNot listedNo confirmed exploitation
Public exploit: 0 sources FixNone yetNo fix or workaround published

Published 2026-09-16Updated 2026-09-18Sources: CVE.org, NVD

NVD CVE.org

What to do

No fixed build or workaround is published yet. Limit exposure and watch for a patch.

Steps

Written by AI from the record

Check whether your organization runs Cisco Identity Services Engine software or its Passive Identity Connector.
Ask your Cisco support contact whether your installed release is affected by CVE-2026-20130; Cisco has not published fixed-version information.
Limit access to the affected systems to only necessary administrators and networks until Cisco provides remediation.
Watch Cisco security advisories for a fixed release and install it as soon as Cisco confirms one.

May need vendor or contractor work

Is your organisation exposed?Request an assessment to establish which checks fit your systems.

What it is

From the CVE record

As part of Cisco's ongoing commitment to proactive security and product quality, the Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC), engineering teams have conducted a comprehensive internal security review. This review resulted in a software hardening release that addresses multiple internally discovered vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities tracked by CVE-2026-20130 are related to improper neutralization of special elements issues that are grouped under the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) Pillar CWE-74.

In plain language

Written by AI from the record

This is a critical flaw in Cisco Identity Services Engine software that may let an outsider take over affected systems, so small businesses using it should act now.

Network-reachable, unauthenticated improper neutralization of special elements (CWE-74) in Cisco Identity Services Engine Software and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector, with public exploit availability and critical CVSS 10.0 impact.

If you're affected

Identity system takeover
Sensitive identity data exposure
Unauthorized access changes
Business access outages

What is it

This is a flaw in software that helps control who can access your company’s network and systems. It is like a building’s access-control desk being tricked by a specially written request, potentially giving an intruder control over the desk itself.

Who is affected

This matters to you if you run Cisco Identity Services Engine software, including its Passive Identity Connector. The reported attack does not require the attacker to already have a login or to persuade an employee to do anything.

How urgent is it

Public exploit code is available, which lowers the effort needed for attackers to attempt an attack. Treat this as an urgent, red-level issue: identify affected systems and put protective access limits in place while awaiting Cisco’s remediation details.

What to do — in detail

Confirm exposure by inventorying Cisco Identity Services Engine Software and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector deployments, their installed releases, and which networks can reach them. The available findings do not identify affected-version ranges, fixed versions, release branches, or upgrade compatibility considerations; obtain this directly from Cisco before planning an upgrade.

No vendor patch or workaround is identified in the findings. If patching is delayed, reduce exposure by allowing access only from necessary administrative networks and users, and review access and configuration changes on these systems for unexpected activity. This CVE is not listed in CISA KEV, so no CISA remediation due date applies. Monitor Cisco’s advisory and support channels for fixed releases, affected-version guidance, workaround instructions, and updated exploitation information.

Technical context

CVSS v3.1 is 10.0 Critical (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating network attackability with no privileges or user interaction and complete confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact across a changed scope. The reported weakness is CWE-74, improper neutralization of special elements. Public exploit availability is reported, but CISA KEV does not list this CVE and the findings do not confirm exploitation in the wild. EPSS is 0.4% (34th percentile) with a flat trend; this is a prediction, not evidence of active exploitation. No patch information is available.

This is a general assessment based on public vulnerability data. It does not account for your specific infrastructure — when in doubt, consult a security specialist.

Exploitation

Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.

EPSS31st

Public exploit

CISA KEV

Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.

Public exploits

0 sources with a proof of concept or module.

Exploit links, PoCs and Metasploit modules after sign-in

EPSS

0.4% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 31st percentile of scored CVEs.

Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.

Lifecycle

6 events over 2 days, from the signal feeds we watch.

2026-09-18Record updatedrecord updated
2026-09-16Publishedweakness classified, att&ck mapped, record updated

Affected products

Ciscocommercial · USaka cisco systems, cisco systems inc.
- Cisco Identity Services Engine SoftwareNetworking Infrastructure
- Cisco ISE Passive Identity ConnectorNetworking Infrastructure

Technical detail

CVSS 3.1 vector

Open in the CVSS calculator

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Scored 10.0 by NVD.

How it is reached

Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
Privileges Required NoneNo authentication required — anyone can exploit this
User Interaction NoneNo user interaction needed — fully automated exploitation

Scope

Scope ChangedThe exploit can affect other components (e.g. sandbox escape, host compromise from VM)

Impact if exploited

Confidentiality HighTotal information disclosure — all data in the component is compromised
Integrity HighTotal loss of integrity — attacker can modify any data in the component
Availability HighTotal denial of service — the component is completely unavailable