Cisco warns of max severity ISE zero-day exploited in attacks
Source Bleeping Computer
Exploited in the wild · KEV due 19 Sep 2026 · public detection template (Nuclei) : apply the vendor's fix or mitigations to Cisco Identity Services Engine Software now.
Data as of 1 Nov 2026, 22:58 UTC
- KEV deadline
- US federal agencies must patch by this date; a sensible deadline for everyone else. Other KEV due dates
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
t = 0 is the CVE’s publication on cve.org
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 16 Sep 2026
Detectable: evidence found.
nuclei template: Cisco Identity Services Engine - ise-kong API Gateway Authentication Bypass
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: evidence found.
Listed in CISA KEV the same day as disclosure
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
Timeline
CVE ID reserved
by Cisco Systems, Inc.
, 28 days before disclosure
CVE published
on cve.org
, t = 0
In Threat Radar
record ingested
, 36 minutes after disclosure
Added to CISA KEV (opens in a new tab)
exploitation confirmed
, the same day as disclosure
KEV remediation due
US federal deadline
, 3 days after disclosure
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), CISA KEV (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 1 Nov 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| CiscoCisco Identity Services Engine Software | Affected
| Fixed in– |
| CiscoCisco ISE Passive Identity Connector | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
Cisco has released official security updates for Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC versions 3.1 through 3.5 (specifically 3.1 Patch 12, 3.2 Patch 11, 3.3 Patch 12, 3.4 Patch 7, and 3.5 Patch 4) that fully remediate this vulnerability. Customers should apply these patches immediately. No workarounds are available. Cisco also recommends monitoring access.log files for suspicious usernames and reviewing firewall and network logs for unusual activity. If compromise is suspected, re-image affected nodes and restore from known-good backups. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has mandated patching within three days for federal agencies. Organizations should follow Cisco's guidance and prioritize patch deployment to mitigate ongoing attacks.
Description
Cisco has disclosed a maximum-severity zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2026-76460) in its Identity Services Engine (ISE) and ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC) products. This flaw allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via a crafted request to an API endpoint, regardless of configuration. The vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild, enabling unauthorized access to affected devices through the web-based management interface. Cisco has released patches for multiple ISE versions to remediate this issue. No workarounds exist, and Cisco strongly recommends immediate patching. Indicators of compromise include suspicious usernames in access logs and unusual network activity. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has mandated federal agencies to patch this vulnerability within three days. Additional related critical vulnerabilities have also been patched but are not yet known to be exploited.