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CVE-2026-20234

Cisco Identity Services Engine Hardening Release - Insuffiencently Protected Credential Vulnerabilities

Published: Sep 16, 2026Updated: Sep 17, 2026 Sources: CVE List NVDCWE-522
9.9CRITICAL
NVD MITRE
EPSS Score
0.4%
Top 68.9%
CISA KEV
Not in KEV
Exploits
0 Known
Remediation
No Fix Available
Self-Check
Not available

Description

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-2026-20234 are related to insufficiently protected credentials issues that are grouped under the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) Pillar CWE-522.

In plain language

AI Act now

A critical credential-protection flaw affects Cisco Identity Services Engine software and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector; businesses using either should act now because public attack code is available.

Executive summary

CWE-522 insufficiently protected credentials vulnerabilities in Cisco Identity Services Engine software and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector can enable a logged-in attacker to compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability across security scopes.

If affected, business impact
Network access control takeoverCredential exposurePolicy changesService disruptionRansomware risk

What to do now

  1. Confirm whether your organization runs Cisco Identity Services Engine software or Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector, including appliances managed by a provider.
  2. Ask Cisco or your IT provider whether your installed release is affected by CVE-2026-20234 and whether any hardening release is available.
  3. No fixed version has been provided in the available findings; obtain Cisco’s supported remediation guidance before making changes.
  4. Until remediation is available, restrict administrative access to trusted staff and review privileged account activity for unexpected changes.
May need vendor / contractor work

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:NAC:LPR:LUI:NS:CC:HI:HA:H
Exploitability
AV:NAttack Vector
Network
AC:LAttack Complexity
Low
PR:LPrivileges Required
Low
UI:NUser Interaction
None
Scope
S:CScope
Changed
Impact
C:HConfidentiality
High
I:HIntegrity
High
A:HAvailability
High
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Weaknesses

CWE-522

Affected Products

Cisco
commercial·USaka cisco systems inc., cisco systems
Cisco Identity Services Engine Software
Networking Infrastructure
Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector
Networking Infrastructure

Exploitability

0 exploit sources identified

Exploit details including PoC links, Metasploit modules, and scanner templates are available after registration.

View exploit details
Is your org exposed to CVE-2026-20234?Request an assessment to establish which checks are appropriate for your systems. Check my exposure

Attack Graph

Products CVE Techniques Tactics

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MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques
Credential Access
View detailed technique mapping

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-hardening-ise-XU5EwX5T
sec.cloudapps.cisco.com
News mentions
1

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