Multiple vulnerabilities in the web-based management interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks against a user of the interface. These vulnerabilities are due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface of an affected system. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by injecting malicious code into specific pages of the interface.
A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary script code in the context of the affected interface or access sensitive, browser-based information. To exploit these vulnerabilities, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials.
The severity level of this vulnerability is classified as medium, with a CVSS score of 4.8. Organizations should address this vulnerability promptly to prevent potential exploitation and mitigate risks associated with XSS attacks.
Given the potential impact on confidentiality and integrity, it is crucial for organizations using Cisco Identity Services Engine to assess their exposure and implement necessary mitigations.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerabilities in question allow for cross-site scripting (XSS) due to inadequate input validation. The CVE-2025-20204 affects the Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) with a vulnerability description that identifies insufficient validation of user input as the root cause.
The CVSS vector for this vulnerability is CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N, indicating that it has a network attack vector, low attack complexity, requires high privileges, and user interaction is required. The confidentiality and integrity impacts are rated as low, while the availability impact is noted as none.
Organizations should be aware that multiple versions of the Cisco Identity Services Engine are affected by this vulnerability, specifically versions prior to 3.2 and certain patched versions of 3.2 and 3.3. The publication date of the advisory was February 5, 2025.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the web-based management interface's failure to validate user inputs adequately. Attackers can leverage this weakness by injecting malicious scripts into the interface, leading to potential unauthorized access to sensitive user data or execution of unwanted actions within the web application.
The attack vector is network-based, requiring the attacker to have administrative credentials. The complexity of the attack is low, indicating that the attacker can execute the exploit with minimal effort. The attack requires user interaction, meaning the victim must engage with the interface for the exploit to succeed.
The impact on confidentiality is low, as the attacker could only access data available within the context of the logged-in user. Integrity is also at risk, as arbitrary script execution could alter the normal operation of the web application. However, there is no impact on availability.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes potential exposure of sensitive information and unauthorized actions performed through the web interface. Given that authenticated users are required to exploit these vulnerabilities, the risk is somewhat mitigated, but it still poses a significant threat, especially in environments where administrative access is common.
The blast radius of this vulnerability is critical, as it could affect all users with administrative access. Organizations should prioritize addressing this vulnerability in their patching cycle to avoid exploitation that could lead to data breaches or other security incidents.
Given the CVSS score of 4.8, this vulnerability is classified as medium severity. Organizations should assess their exposure and act accordingly to mitigate risks. Remediation should be scheduled as soon as possible, particularly for critical systems relying on Cisco Identity Services Engine.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
All versions of Cisco Identity Services Engine from 3.0.0 up to but not including 3.2, along with specific patched versions of 3.2 and 3.3, are affected by this vulnerability. Organizations should ensure they are using updated versions to mitigate risks associated with these vulnerabilities.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should prioritize patching their Cisco Identity Services Engine installations to the latest versions. If patches are unavailable, consider implementing web application firewalls to filter potentially malicious input and conduct thorough security testing, such as penetration testing to identify and address similar vulnerabilities.
Detection Guidance
Monitoring logs for unusual activities, such as unauthorized access attempts and script execution errors, is essential. Organizations should also look for behavioral anomalies within the web management interface to detect potential exploitation attempts.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of this vulnerability reflects a broader trend of increased exploitation of web application interfaces. Security teams must remain vigilant and proactive in their assessments to identify and remediate such vulnerabilities. Implementing effective security measures and continuous security assessments will help organizations mitigate risks associated with similar vulnerabilities in the future.
For organizations using Cisco products, understanding the risk associated with vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-20204 is critical. Regularly reviewing security practices and engaging in comprehensive security training will further enhance an organization's resilience against potential threats.
For more information on security best practices, organizations can refer to resources such as the penetration testing methodology and vulnerability management program design guides.
Known Exploitation Timeline
This vulnerability is not included in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, indicating that there have been no documented incidents of exploitation at this time.
EPSS Risk Context
The EPSS score for this vulnerability is 0.00063, placing it in the 0.196 percentile, indicating a low probability of exploitation. Organizations should still treat this as a potential risk due to the nature of the vulnerability.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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