Cisco Identity Services Engine contains an injection vulnerability in a specific API of Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input allowing an attacker to exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted API request. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to perform remote code execution and obtaining root privileges on an affected device.
Cisco · Identity Services Engine
Known ransomware use: Unknown
Follow the source advisory and validate exposure in your environment.
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Recent reporting that mentions CVE-2025-20337.
The same APT hammered critical bugs in Citrix NetScaler (CVE-2025-5777) and the Cisco Identity Service Engine (CVE-2025-20337) in a sign of growing adversary interest in identity and access management systems.
An advanced threat actor exploited the critical vulnerabilities "Citrix Bleed 2" (CVE-2025-5777) in NetScaler ADC and Gateway, and CVE-2025-20337 affecting Cisco Identity Service Engine (ISE) as zero-days to deploy custom malware. [...]
A critical vulnerability (CVE-2025-20337) in Cisco's Identity Services Engine (ISE) could be exploited to let an unauthenticated attacker store malicious files, execute arbitrary code, or gain root privileges on vulnerable devices. [...]