CVE-2026-20130

Cisco Identity Services Engine Hardening Release - Improper Neutralization Vulnerabilities

No known exploitation. EPSS puts it in the 46th percentile. Fixed in 3.3.0.

CVSS 3.110.0Critical EPSS percentile46th0.5% chance in 30 days CISA KEVNot listedNo confirmed exploitation
No public exploit known Fix3.3.0Upgrade to this build

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OpenVAS · 1 check

e.g. OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.25623.1.0.157983

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Published 2026-09-16Updated 2026-09-28Sources: CVE.org, NVD

NVD CVE.org

What to do

Find your product and version, then upgrade to the build on the right.

Cisco Identity Services Engine SoftwareAffected: 3.1.0Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 3.1.0 p1Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 3.1.0 p3Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 3.1.0 p2Upgrade to: not stated + 43 more branchesStated by: CVE record
Cisco ISE Passive Identity ConnectorAffected: 3.2.0Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 3.1.0Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 3.3.0Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 3.4.0Upgrade to: not stated + 1 more branchStated by: CVE record
Cisco Identity Services EngineAffected: ≥ 3.1.0, < 3.3.0Upgrade to: 3.3.0Stated by: NVD
Cisco Identity Services Engine Passive Identity ConnectorAffected: ≥ 3.1.0, < 3.3.0Upgrade to: 3.3.0Stated by: NVD

Versions as the sources state them. Full version matrix after sign-in

Steps

Written by AI from the record

Check whether your organization runs Cisco Identity Services Engine software or its Passive Identity Connector.
Ask your Cisco support contact whether your installed release is affected by CVE-2026-20130; Cisco has not published fixed-version information.
Limit access to the affected systems to only necessary administrators and networks until Cisco provides remediation.
Watch Cisco security advisories for a fixed release and install it as soon as Cisco confirms one.

May need vendor or contractor work

Check it yourselfA free OpenVAS check exists for this CVE. Run it against your hosts.Is your organisation exposed?Request an assessment to establish which checks fit your systems.

What it is

From the CVE record

As part of Cisco's ongoing commitment to proactive security and product quality, the Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC), engineering teams have conducted a comprehensive internal security review. This review resulted in a software hardening release that addresses multiple internally discovered vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities tracked by CVE-2026-20130 are related to improper neutralization of special elements issues that are grouped under the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) Pillar CWE-74.

In plain language

Written by AI from the record

This is a critical flaw in Cisco Identity Services Engine software that may let an outsider take over affected systems, so small businesses using it should act now.

Network-reachable, unauthenticated improper neutralization of special elements (CWE-74) in Cisco Identity Services Engine Software and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector, with public exploit availability and critical CVSS 10.0 impact.

If you're affected

Identity system takeover
Sensitive identity data exposure
Unauthorized access changes
Business access outages

What is it

This is a flaw in software that helps control who can access your company’s network and systems. It is like a building’s access-control desk being tricked by a specially written request, potentially giving an intruder control over the desk itself.

Who is affected

This matters to you if you run Cisco Identity Services Engine software, including its Passive Identity Connector. The reported attack does not require the attacker to already have a login or to persuade an employee to do anything.

How urgent is it

Public exploit code is available, which lowers the effort needed for attackers to attempt an attack. Treat this as an urgent, red-level issue: identify affected systems and put protective access limits in place while awaiting Cisco’s remediation details.

What to do — in detail

Confirm exposure by inventorying Cisco Identity Services Engine Software and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector deployments, their installed releases, and which networks can reach them. The available findings do not identify affected-version ranges, fixed versions, release branches, or upgrade compatibility considerations; obtain this directly from Cisco before planning an upgrade.

No vendor patch or workaround is identified in the findings. If patching is delayed, reduce exposure by allowing access only from necessary administrative networks and users, and review access and configuration changes on these systems for unexpected activity. This CVE is not listed in CISA KEV, so no CISA remediation due date applies. Monitor Cisco’s advisory and support channels for fixed releases, affected-version guidance, workaround instructions, and updated exploitation information.

Technical context

CVSS v3.1 is 10.0 Critical (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating network attackability with no privileges or user interaction and complete confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact across a changed scope. The reported weakness is CWE-74, improper neutralization of special elements. Public exploit availability is reported, but CISA KEV does not list this CVE and the findings do not confirm exploitation in the wild. EPSS is 0.4% (34th percentile) with a flat trend; this is a prediction, not evidence of active exploitation. No patch information is available.

This is a general assessment based on public vulnerability data. It does not account for your specific infrastructure — when in doubt, consult a security specialist.

Exploitation

Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.

EPSS46th

CISA KEV

Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.

Public exploits

No public exploit or proof of concept found in the sources we track.

EPSS

0.5% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 46th percentile of scored CVEs.

Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.

Lifecycle

9 events over 36 days, from the signal feeds we watch.

2026-10-22OpenVAS check added
2026-09-28Patch availablerecord updated
2026-09-18Record updatedrecord updated
2026-09-16Publishedweakness classified, att&ck mapped, record updated

Affected products

Ciscocommercial · USaka cisco systems, cisco systems inc.

Technical detail

CVSS 3.1 vector

Open in the CVSS calculator

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Scored 10.0 by NVD.

How it is reached

Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
Privileges Required NoneNo authentication required — anyone can exploit this
User Interaction NoneNo user interaction needed — fully automated exploitation

Scope

Scope ChangedThe exploit can affect other components (e.g. sandbox escape, host compromise from VM)

Impact if exploited

Confidentiality HighTotal information disclosure — all data in the component is compromised
Integrity HighTotal loss of integrity — attacker can modify any data in the component
Availability HighTotal denial of service — the component is completely unavailable

Weaknesses

CWE-74No name in the record

ATT&CK techniques

Mapped from the weaknesses above (CWE to ATT&CK), not observed in attacks.

ExecutionT1059Command and Scripting Interpretermedium confidence
Initial AccessT1190Exploit Public-Facing Applicationmedium confidence

Sources

References in the record

sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-hardening-ise-XU5EwX5T

In the news

Cisco Warns of New Zero-Day ISE Auth Bypass (CVSS 10.0) Exploited in Active AttacksThe Hacker News · 2026-09-17

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