CVE-2025-20130 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC) software versions ranging from 2.7.0 p8 through multiple 3.x releases up to 3.3 Patch 2. The vulnerability arises from improper access control in the API's file copy function, specifically inadequate validation of file upload requests. An authenticated attacker with administrative privileges can exploit this flaw by sending a crafted file upload request to a particular API endpoint, enabling arbitrary file uploads to the affected system. This could allow the attacker to place malicious files or overwrite legitimate files, potentially leading to unauthorized modification of system components or configurations. Although exploitation requires administrative credentials and no user interaction, the vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or availability directly but compromises integrity by allowing unauthorized file manipulation. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.9 (medium), reflecting the requirement for high privileges but ease of network exploitation (network vector, low attack complexity). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the vulnerability's presence in critical network access control infrastructure makes it a significant concern.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial, especially for enterprises and service providers relying on Cisco ISE for network access control, policy enforcement, and identity management. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to upload malicious files that might alter system behavior, introduce backdoors, or disrupt policy enforcement, potentially leading to lateral movement within the network or bypassing security controls. Given Cisco ISE's role in managing network access and device posture, integrity compromise could undermine the overall security posture, risking unauthorized access to sensitive resources. The requirement for administrative credentials limits the attack surface to insiders or attackers who have already compromised privileged accounts, but this also means that insider threats or credential theft attacks could leverage this vulnerability to escalate their impact. Additionally, the lack of impact on confidentiality and availability reduces the risk of data leakage or denial of service but does not diminish the threat to system integrity and trustworthiness of network access controls.

1. Immediate patching: Organizations should prioritize applying Cisco's security updates or patches once available for all affected ISE versions to remediate the improper access control flaw. 2. Restrict administrative access: Limit administrative privileges strictly to trusted personnel and enforce strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 3. Monitor API usage: Implement detailed logging and monitoring of API endpoints, especially file upload functions, to detect anomalous or unauthorized file upload attempts. 4. Network segmentation: Isolate Cisco ISE servers within dedicated network segments with strict access controls to minimize exposure to potential attackers. 5. Credential hygiene: Regularly audit and rotate administrative credentials, and employ least privilege principles to reduce the risk of privilege escalation. 6. Incident response readiness: Prepare for potential exploitation scenarios by developing and testing response plans focused on detecting and mitigating unauthorized file uploads or system integrity violations. 7. Vendor communication: Maintain active communication with Cisco for updates, advisories, and best practices related to this vulnerability and related security issues.