CVE-2025-20281

Published Jun 25, 2025

Last updated 3 days ago

Overview

AI description

Automated description summarized from trusted sources.

CVE-2025-20281 is a vulnerability in a specific API of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC). It allows an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the underlying operating system as root. The attacker doesn't need any valid credentials to exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit it by submitting a crafted API request. Cisco has released software updates to address this vulnerability, and there are no known workarounds. This affects Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC releases 3.3 and later, but not 3.2 or earlier.

Description: 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.
Source: psirt@cisco.com
NVD status: Analyzed

Risk scores

CVSS 3.1

Type: Primary
Base score: 9.8
Impact score: 5.9
Exploitability score: 3.9
Vector string: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Severity: CRITICAL

Weaknesses

psirt@cisco.com: CWE-74

Hype score: Not currently trending

Configurations

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]

References

Sources include official advisories and independent security research.