CVE-2025-20281 | Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Exp

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.

Published: 2025-06-25 Last update: 2025-10-28 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Analyzed，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2025-20281 is rated Critical Active Threat (98.3/100): CVSS Critical severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 33.48%, 97th percentile). CISA KEV confirms active exploitation (added 2025-07-28) affecting Cisco / Identity Services Engine. a weakness (CWE-74) Unauthenticated remote administrative access may be possible. The CISA remediation deadline has passed—treat as an emergency patch priority.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

CISA KEV Record for CVE-2025-20281

Name: Cisco Identity Services Engine Injection Vulnerability · CISA KEV detail

Exploit added: 2025-07-28

Action due: 2025-08-18

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.

Public exploit references (Exploit-DB) for CVE-2025-20281

EDB-ID Source Kind Published Link
— nvd_ref exploit_tag Exploit-DB ↗

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2025-20281

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-06-08 34.17% 33.48% -0.68%
2 2026-05-25 36.03% 34.17% -1.86%
3 2026-04-21 — 36.03% —

Full EPSS history (42 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2025-20281

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
10.0 3.1 CRITICAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:C)
Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 3.9 6.0 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2025-20281

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2025-20281

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
cisco identity_services_engine 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine 3.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine 3.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.4.0 cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2025-20281

cvelogic Threat Intelligence