What it is
CVE-2025-20282 is an unauthenticated Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. A vulnerability in an internal API of Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker...
Vulnerability report
Active exploitation observed
Confirmed confidence
Not in CISA KEV
CVE-2025-20282
Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Cisco / Cisco Identity Services Engine Software · 3.4.0
- Severity
- CVSS 10.0 · Critical
- Confidence
- Confirmed
- Exploit status
- Observed in sensors
- EPSS
- 26.5%
- First observed
- 01 Aug 2026
- Last observed
- 19 Aug 2026
Decision summary
What security teams need to know first
Direct answers before the deeper technical record.
Is it exploited?
Yes. KEV Intelligence sensors observed exploitation attempts with confirmed confidence.
Who is affected?
Cisco / Cisco Identity Services Engine Software 3.4.0.
What should we do?
Patch immediately, validate internet-facing exposure, and monitor for matching requests.
Overview
Cisco ISE API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
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.
This vulnerability is due 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.
Vendor
Product
Affected
Status
Cisco
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software
3.4.0
Affected
Cisco
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software
3.4 Patch 1
Affected
- Published
- 25 Jun 2025
- Exploitation Reported
- 01 Aug 2026
- Attack vector
- Remote
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
Tags
edge
nuclei_scanner
CVE References
- CVE Record CVE.org · CVE Record https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-20282
- cisco-sa-ise-unauth-rce-ZAd2GnJ6 sec.cloudapps.cisco.com · CVE Record https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurity...
Exploitation evidence
Why KEV Intelligence marks this CVE as exploited
Third-party attestation and first-party sensor observation are shown separately so teams can judge the evidence chain.
Exploited in the wild
KEV Intelligence
Independent exploitation attestation added to the KEV Intelligence record.
Active exploitation observed
KEV Intelligence sensor
First-party sensor telemetry confirms matching exploitation attempts.
Proof of concept available
Nuclei Templates
Public scanner or PoC coverage increases practical exploitability.
Known exploited vulnerability sources
Per-source evidence links for KEV attestations are available through the KEV Intelligence Pro API.
Learn about Pro API access| Source | Added |
|---|---|
| KEV Intelligence First | 2026-08-07 09:10 UTC |
Operational indicators for this CVE are listed under Detection.
Sensor telemetry
First-party evidence of exploitation activity
Aggregate observations show the scale, recency, and distribution of activity without overstating sparse data.
21
Attempts observed
17
Unique attacker IPs
9
Attacker countries
AT · CN · DE · HK · IN · SE · SG · TW · US
1
Sensors observed
Exploitation attempts over the last 20 days
Daily events observed by KEV Intelligence sensors
Updated 19 Aug 2026
31 Jul
4 Aug
8 Aug
12 Aug
19 Aug
First observed 01 Aug 2026 · Last observed 19 Aug 2026
Pro adds sensor region and window summaries. Enterprise adds raw IPs, paths, User-Agents, and payloads.
Detection
Operational artifacts and observed signals
Make the evidence actionable in scanner, SOC, and edge-control workflows.
Observed signals
- Request targets
- 1
- User-Agents
- 16
Raw values available in Pro and Enterprise.
Scanner coverage
Nuclei template detected 05 Aug 2026.
View Nuclei template (opens in new tab)Virtual patch status
No KEV Intelligence virtual patch is currently available. Future rules ship for ModSecurity, Cloudflare, and AWS WAF.
Learn about virtual patches →Attacker IP Indicators
Attacker IP indicators observed · available in Pro and Enterprise.
Sensor-derived attacker IP indicators are available to Pro and Enterprise accounts under Detection and through the Pro API.
Learn about Pro API accessScanner Artifacts
Scanner and exploit-framework references linked to this CVE.
| Scanner | Reference | Detected |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclei | https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2025/CVE-2025-20282.yaml | 05 Aug 2026 |
Risk and context
Severity, weaknesses, and research context
CVSS v3.1
10.0
Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS
26.5%
Weaknesses
Potential Proof of Concepts
These PoCs are unverified and could contain malware. Use at your own risk.
Cisco ISE < 3.4P2 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Upload
nuclei · Created Unknown
Timeline
From disclosure to observed exploitation
-
Public PoC available
Public proof-of-concept code published
-
Nuclei template available
Scanner coverage available
-
Observed by KEV Intelligence sensors
Evidence-backed exploitation signal
-
Indicators of compromise added (17)
Indicators of compromise recorded
-
CVE published
Vulnerability disclosed publicly
-
CVE ID reserved
Identifier reserved by the CNA
Pro API
Automate this intelligence
Confidence, exploit status, sensor telemetry, PoCs, scanner integrations, mentions, and tags are available programmatically for VM, SOC, and CTI workflows.
- Evidence confidence and provenance
- First-party sensor telemetry
- PoC and scanner references
- Affected versions and enrichment
- Automation-ready JSON delivery
GET /api/v2/pro/kevs/CVE-2025-20282
Free JSON includes basic KEV fields{
"cve_id": "CVE-2025-20282",
"confidence": "Confirmed",
"cvss_score": 10.0,
"cvss_estimated": false,
"epss_score": 0.26516,
"exploit_status": {
"exploited_in_the_wild": true,
"active_exploitation_observed": true
},
"sensor_telemetry": { "attempts": 21, "sensors": 1 }
}Early warning alerts
Get alerts on high-impact exploitation
Receive curator-selected alerts when exploitation activity warrants attention. Each alert includes the evidence and context needed to decide what requires attention now.