CVE-2025-20305 is a vulnerability discovered in the web-based management interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) software, versions 3.1.0 through 3.4 Patch 1. The root cause is insufficient granularity in access control mechanisms that govern visibility of sensitive data within the management interface. Specifically, certain files containing sensitive information, such as passwords, lack proper data protection controls. An attacker who has authenticated access with read-only Administrator privileges—which normally restricts viewing of high-privilege data—can exploit this flaw to retrieve sensitive credentials that should be hidden. This vulnerability does not require user interaction and can be exploited remotely over the network. The attack vector is network-based with low attack complexity, but it requires the attacker to have valid read-only Administrator credentials, limiting the scope to insiders or compromised accounts. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality by exposing sensitive information but does not affect integrity or availability of the system. Cisco has published this vulnerability with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.3 (medium severity). No public exploit code or active exploitation has been reported to date. The vulnerability highlights a design flaw in role-based access controls within Cisco ISE’s management interface, potentially allowing privilege escalation in terms of information disclosure. Cisco ISE is widely used for network access control, policy enforcement, and identity management in enterprise environments, making this vulnerability relevant for organizations relying on Cisco infrastructure for secure network operations.

For European organizations, the exposure of sensitive credentials within Cisco ISE can lead to significant security risks. Attackers gaining access to passwords normally restricted to high-privileged users could leverage these credentials to escalate privileges, move laterally within networks, or access critical systems. This is particularly concerning for enterprises and government agencies that use Cisco ISE to enforce network access policies and secure sensitive data flows. Confidentiality breaches could result in unauthorized access to protected resources, data leakage, and potential compliance violations under GDPR and other data protection regulations. Although the vulnerability does not directly impact system availability or integrity, the indirect consequences of credential exposure could lead to broader security incidents. Organizations with large Cisco ISE deployments in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, healthcare, and critical infrastructure are at heightened risk. The requirement for authenticated access limits exploitation to insiders or attackers who have already compromised lower-level credentials, but this does not diminish the threat posed by insider threats or credential theft. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation before widespread attacks occur.

1. Immediately apply Cisco’s security patches or updates once available for affected ISE versions to address the access control granularity issue. 2. Review and tighten role-based access control policies within Cisco ISE, ensuring that read-only Administrator roles do not have unnecessary visibility into sensitive data. 3. Implement strong multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all administrative accounts to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 4. Conduct regular audits of user privileges and access logs to detect anomalous access patterns or attempts to view sensitive information. 5. Segment network access to Cisco ISE management interfaces, restricting access to trusted administrative networks and using VPNs or jump hosts where appropriate. 6. Educate administrators on the risks of credential exposure and enforce strict password management policies. 7. Monitor threat intelligence feeds and Cisco advisories for updates on exploit availability or additional mitigation guidance. 8. Consider deploying additional endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect lateral movement attempts that could follow credential exposure.