Cisco has recently disclosed multiple critical vulnerabilities in its Identity Services Engine (ISE) and ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC), which could allow unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on affected systems. These vulnerabilities, identified as CVE-2025-20281, CVE-2025-20282, and CVE-2025-20337, each carry a maximum Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score of 10.0, indicating the highest level of severity.
Vulnerability Overview:
– CVE-2025-20281: This vulnerability affects Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC versions 3.3 and 3.4. It arises from insufficient validation of user-supplied input in a specific API endpoint, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to send crafted API requests that can execute arbitrary operating system commands as the root user.
– CVE-2025-20282: Specific to version 3.4 of Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC, this flaw is due to improper file validation in an internal API. It enables unauthenticated remote attackers to upload arbitrary files to privileged directories and execute them with root privileges.
– CVE-2025-20337: Also impacting versions 3.3 and 3.4, this vulnerability involves insufficient input validation in certain APIs, permitting unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected device.
Affected Systems:
These vulnerabilities impact Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC releases 3.3 and 3.4, regardless of device configuration. Organizations operating these versions are at significant risk, as the flaws can be exploited without any authentication, making them particularly dangerous.
Potential Impact:
Exploitation of these vulnerabilities could lead to:
– Unauthorized Access: Attackers could gain full control over the affected systems, leading to potential data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive information.
– System Compromise: Execution of arbitrary commands with root privileges could allow attackers to modify system configurations, install malicious software, or disrupt services.
– Network Security Threats: Given that Cisco ISE is integral to network access control and policy enforcement, its compromise could undermine the overall security posture of the organization’s network.
Mitigation Measures:
Cisco has released software updates to address these vulnerabilities. Organizations are strongly advised to upgrade to the following patched versions:
– For Version 3.3 Users: Upgrade to Release 3.3 Patch 7.
– For Version 3.4 Users: Upgrade to Release 3.4 Patch 2.
It’s important to note that previously released hot patches (ise-apply-CSCwo99449_3.3.0.430_patch4-SPA.tar.gz and ise-apply-CSCwo99449_3.4.0.608_patch1-SPA.tar.gz) have been deprecated, as they did not fully address CVE-2025-20337. Organizations using these hot patches must upgrade to the full patch releases mentioned above.
Recommendations:
– Immediate Patching: Organizations should prioritize applying the recommended patches to mitigate the risk associated with these vulnerabilities.
– System Audits: Conduct thorough audits of systems to ensure no unauthorized changes have occurred and to verify the integrity of the network infrastructure.
– Access Controls: Review and strengthen access controls to limit exposure to potential attacks.
– Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring to detect any unusual activity that may indicate exploitation attempts.
Conclusion:
The disclosure of these critical vulnerabilities in Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC underscores the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures. Organizations must act swiftly to apply the necessary patches and review their security protocols to protect against potential exploits. Maintaining up-to-date systems and vigilant monitoring are key components in safeguarding network infrastructure from emerging threats.
