Cisco Patches Critical Vulnerabilities in ISE Software, Exposing Networks to Command Injection Attacks
Cisco has issued a security update to address two critical vulnerabilities in its Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) software, which could potentially allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems.
These flaws, discovered in early February 2025, expose organizations to severe security risks, including unauthorized access to sensitive data and the compromise of network infrastructure.
“A vulnerability in an API of Cisco ISE could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with valid read-only credentials to obtain sensitive information, change node configurations, and restart the node,” Cisco warned.
Vulnerabilities and Potential Exploits
The vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2025-20124 and CVE-2025-20125, both carry a high severity rating with a CVSS score of 9.9.
These flaws are particularly concerning because they allow attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms and execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges on vulnerable Cisco ISE appliances.
Cisco ISE, widely used in enterprise environments for access control and identity management, is responsible for managing user authentication, device security, and network policies.
The flaws exist in the software’s processing of crafted inputs, which could lead to remote code execution (RCE).
The vulnerabilities are especially dangerous because they allow attackers to exploit the system without needing to authenticate. The flaws affect multiple versions of Cisco ISE, making it a widespread issue for organizations that rely on the platform for secure network access.
Exploitation Risks
Once exploited, these vulnerabilities could provide attackers with full administrative control over the affected system, enabling them to run arbitrary commands with root-level privileges.
This could lead to a range of malicious actions, including altering network configurations, exfiltrating sensitive data, or even taking full control of connected devices.
The flaws put organizations at risk of data breaches, denial of service (DoS) attacks, and further exploitation if attackers are able to pivot to other parts of the network.
Cisco has warned that these vulnerabilities are critical, with the potential to affect organizations across industries that rely on Cisco ISE to enforce security policies. Any delay in patching could give attackers a window of opportunity to exploit these weaknesses.
Cisco’s Response
Cisco has released patches to fix the vulnerabilities in the affected versions of ISE, urging all users to update their systems immediately. The tech giant has also advised organizations to review their security configurations and monitor network traffic for unusual behavior that could indicate an active exploit. Cisco has worked swiftly to patch these critical vulnerabilities, but the potential for widespread exploitation remains a significant concern.
The company is also working closely with security researchers and government agencies to further assess the risks and monitor for potential attacks that may take advantage of these vulnerabilities. Cisco’s advisory emphasizes the importance of applying the updates as soon as possible to prevent unauthorized access to critical network infrastructure.
The flaws in Cisco ISE serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in securing enterprise-level identity and access management systems, and the need for constant vigilance in the face of evolving cyber threats.
Sources:
1. https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/05/cisco_plugs_two_critical_ise_bugs/
2. https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-multivuls-FTW9AOXF
