CVE-2025-20283

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2025-20283?

CVE-2025-20283 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (MEDIUM). This vulnerability in Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC allows authenticated attackers with high-privileged credentials to execute arbitrary code as root on the underlying operating system. It affects organizations using these Cisco identity services products. The root cause is insufficient input validation in a specific API.

6.5 MEDIUM

Remote Code Execution

📋 TL;DR

This vulnerability in Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC allows authenticated attackers with high-privileged credentials to execute arbitrary code as root on the underlying operating system. It affects organizations using these Cisco identity services products. The root cause is insufficient input validation in a specific API.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Cisco ISE-PIC

Versions: Specific versions mentioned in Cisco advisory

Operating Systems: Linux-based underlying OS

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Requires high-privileged credentials; affects API endpoints

📦 What is this software?

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Complete system compromise with root-level command execution, allowing attackers to steal sensitive data, deploy persistent backdoors, or pivot to other network systems.

🟠

Likely Case

Privileged attackers gaining full control over affected ISE systems, potentially compromising identity services and network access controls.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact due to strong credential management and network segmentation preventing unauthorized access to management interfaces.

🌐 Internet-Facing: MEDIUM

🏢 Internal Only: HIGH

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: LOW

Exploitation requires valid high-privileged credentials; attacker must craft malicious API requests

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Check Cisco advisory for specific fixed versions

Vendor Advisory: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-multi-3VpsXOxO

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Review Cisco advisory for affected versions. 2. Download and apply appropriate patches from Cisco. 3. Restart affected ISE services or systems as required. 4. Verify patch installation.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Restrict API Access

all

Limit network access to ISE management interfaces to trusted IP addresses only

Configure firewall rules to restrict access to ISE management IPs/ports

Credential Hardening

all

Implement strong password policies and multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts

Enable MFA for ISE administrative accounts
Implement password complexity requirements

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement strict network segmentation to isolate ISE management interfaces
Enforce principle of least privilege for administrative accounts and monitor for suspicious activity

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check ISE version against affected versions in Cisco advisory

Check Version:

show version (in ISE CLI) or check ISE admin interface

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify installed version matches or exceeds patched version from Cisco advisory

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Unusual API requests to vulnerable endpoints
Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful high-privilege access
Unexpected process execution or system commands

Network Indicators:

Suspicious traffic to ISE management interfaces from unauthorized sources
Unusual API request patterns

SIEM Query:

Search for: 'CVE-2025-20283' OR 'ISE API exploit' OR suspicious root-level command execution on ISE systems

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2025-20283

CVSS v3 Score: 6.5 (MEDIUM)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CWE: CWE-74

EPSS Score: 0.1% exploit probability (27th percentile)

Published: July 16, 2025

Last Updated: July 22, 2025

🔗 References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-multi-3VpsXOxO Vendor Advisory

📋 TL;DR

💻 Affected Systems

📦 What is this software?

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector by Cisco

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

Worst Case

Likely Case

If Mitigated

🎯 Exploit Status

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Instructions:

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Restrict API Access

Credential Hardening

🧯 If You Can't Patch

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check Version:

Verify Fix Applied:

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Network Indicators:

SIEM Query:

📊 Metadata

🔗 References

📤 Share & Export

🔗 Related Vulnerabilities