CVE-2025-20281

A vulnerability in a specific API of Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the underlying operating system as root. The attacker does not require any valid credentials to exploit this vulnerability. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted API request. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain root privileges on an affected device.

CVSS v3.1

10.0 CRITICALCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

97.09% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, 100th percentile

CISA KEV

added 2025-07-28

Nuclei

critical · CWE-287

Published

2025-06-25

Updated

2026-02-26

Proof-of-concept exploits (3)

• abrewer251/CVE-2025-20281-2-Cisco-ISE-RCE21★ · 2025-07-28
• grupooruss/CVE-2025-20281-Cisco8★ · 2025-07-03
• ill-deed/Cisco-CVE-2025-20281-illdeed5★ · 2025-07-04

Nuclei templates (1)

• projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2025/CVE-2025-20281.yaml

References

• CVE Record
• NVD entry

Related

• CVE-2017-12637
• CVE-2020-1938
• CVE-2020-3452
• CVE-2022-22536
• CVE-2024-21762
• CVE-2024-38475