CVE-2026-20147: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection') in Cisco Cisco Identity Services Engine Software
A vulnerability in Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system of an affected device. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain user-level access to the underlying operating system and then elevate privileges to root. In single-node ISE deployments, successful exploitation of this vulnerability could cause the affected ISE node to become unavailable, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. In that condition, endpoints that have not already authenticated would be unable to access the network until the node is restored.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
This vulnerability in Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC arises from improper neutralization of special elements in user-supplied input, enabling command injection. An attacker with valid administrative credentials can send a crafted HTTP request to execute arbitrary OS commands. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Cisco ISE software from 3.1.0 through 3.5 Patch 2. Exploitation can result in full system compromise and denial of service in single-node deployments.
Potential Impact
An attacker with administrative credentials can execute arbitrary commands on the underlying OS, potentially escalating privileges to root. This compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. In single-node deployments, exploitation can cause denial of service, preventing network access for unauthenticated endpoints until the node is restored.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the Cisco vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict administrative access to trusted personnel only and monitor for suspicious activity involving HTTP requests to the ISE device. No official patch or workaround information is provided in the current data.
CVE-2026-20147: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection') in Cisco Cisco Identity Services Engine Software
Description
A vulnerability in Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system of an affected device. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to obtain user-level access to the underlying operating system and then elevate privileges to root. In single-node ISE deployments, successful exploitation of this vulnerability could cause the affected ISE node to become unavailable, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. In that condition, endpoints that have not already authenticated would be unable to access the network until the node is restored.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability in Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC arises from improper neutralization of special elements in user-supplied input, enabling command injection. An attacker with valid administrative credentials can send a crafted HTTP request to execute arbitrary OS commands. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Cisco ISE software from 3.1.0 through 3.5 Patch 2. Exploitation can result in full system compromise and denial of service in single-node deployments.
Potential Impact
An attacker with administrative credentials can execute arbitrary commands on the underlying OS, potentially escalating privileges to root. This compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. In single-node deployments, exploitation can cause denial of service, preventing network access for unauthenticated endpoints until the node is restored.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the Cisco vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict administrative access to trusted personnel only and monitor for suspicious activity involving HTTP requests to the ISE device. No official patch or workaround information is provided in the current data.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- cisco
- Date Reserved
- 2025-10-08T11:59:15.385Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 69dfb9f682d89c981f6ee687
Added to database: 4/15/2026, 4:16:54 PM
Last enriched: 4/15/2026, 4:32:02 PM
Last updated: 4/16/2026, 5:30:42 AM
Views: 6
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