Home » Critical RCE Flaws in Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC Allow Unauthenticated Attackers to Gain Root Access

Critical RCE Flaws in Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC Allow Unauthenticated Attackers to Gain Root Access

by Samantha Rowland
1 minutes read

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, staying ahead of potential vulnerabilities is paramount. Recently, Cisco identified two critical Remote Code Execution (RCE) flaws in its Identity Services Engine (ISE) and ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC) software. These vulnerabilities, labeled as CVE-2025-20281 and CVE-2025-20282, pose a significant risk, with a maximum CVSS score of 10.0 each.

The gravity of these flaws lies in the fact that they could allow unauthenticated attackers to gain root access, effectively giving them unrestricted control over the affected systems. With root access, threat actors could execute malicious commands, compromise sensitive data, or even disrupt entire networks. Such scenarios can have dire consequences for organizations, leading to data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage.

Cisco has acted swiftly to address these critical security concerns by releasing updates that patch the identified vulnerabilities. It is imperative for organizations using Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC to apply these updates immediately to mitigate the risk of exploitation. By neglecting to do so, they leave their systems exposed to potential cyber attacks that could have far-reaching implications.

As IT and security professionals, it is crucial to understand the severity of these RCE flaws and the urgency with which patches need to be applied. Failure to act promptly could result in devastating consequences, underscoring the importance of proactive security measures in today’s digital landscape. Stay informed, stay vigilant, and safeguard your systems against evolving threats to ensure a secure and resilient IT infrastructure.

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