CVE-2026-20306
Cisco Identity Services Engine Command Injection Vulnerability
Public exploit available. Not confirmed exploited in the wild yet. No fix published yet.
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 and identify who has administrator access to its web management interface.
- There is currently no published fixed version; ask Cisco or your support provider for the supported remediation release and deployment guidance.
- Restrict the management interface to a dedicated administrator network, remove unused administrator accounts, and require strong sign-in protection for remaining administrators.
- Review administrator activity and configuration changes for unexpected commands or new accounts.
What it is
From the CVE record
A vulnerability in the REST API of Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to perform command injection attacks on the underlying operating system and elevate privileges to root. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted commands to the web-based management interface of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device and elevate privileges to root. In single-node deployments, successful exploitation of this vulnerability could cause the affected ISE node to become unavailable, resulting in a DoS condition. In that condition, endpoints that have not already authenticated would be unable to access the network until the node is restored.
In plain language
Written by AI from the recordThis is a critical flaw in Cisco Identity Services Engine software that lets someone with an administrator account take over the system; typical businesses using it should act now, but no vendor fix is currently listed.
Authenticated remote command injection in the Cisco Identity Services Engine REST API allows an administrator-level attacker to execute operating-system commands and elevate privileges to root.
If you're affected
- Full identity-system takeover
- Network access disruption
- Unauthorized command execution
- Service outage for new devices
Exploitation
Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.
- 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
1.4% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 71st percentile of scored CVEs.
Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.
Lifecycle
5 events over 1 day, from the signal feeds we watch.
- Record updated
- Publishedweakness classified, att&ck mapped, record updated
Affected products
Technical detail
CVSS 3.1 vector
Open in the CVSS calculatorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Scored 9.1 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 HighRequires admin or elevated privileges
- 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
Weaknesses
ATT&CK techniques
Mapped from the weaknesses above (CWE to ATT&CK), not observed in attacks.
Sources
Watch the software you run.
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