CVE-2023-20023 in Identity Services Engine
Summary
by MITRE • 04/05/2023
Multiple vulnerabilities in specific Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) CLI commands could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform command injection attacks on the underlying operating system and elevate privileges to root. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker must have valid Administrator privileges on the affected device. These vulnerabilities are due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by submitting a crafted CLI command. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to elevate privileges to root.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2026
The Cisco Identity Services Engine ISE platform presents a critical security weakness through multiple command injection vulnerabilities affecting its command line interface functionality. These vulnerabilities arise from inadequate input validation mechanisms within specific CLI commands, creating opportunities for authenticated local attackers to execute arbitrary code on the underlying operating system. The flaw specifically manifests when the system processes user-supplied input without proper sanitization or verification, allowing malicious payloads to be interpreted as legitimate commands rather than data inputs. The attack vector requires an attacker to possess valid administrator credentials, which establishes a baseline level of trust within the system while simultaneously providing access to privileged command interfaces that should normally be protected from such exploitation techniques.
The technical implementation of these vulnerabilities stems from insufficient parameter validation within the CLI parsing mechanisms of the ISE platform. When administrators submit commands through the interface, the system fails to adequately filter or escape special characters that could alter command execution flow or introduce additional commands into the processing pipeline. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-74, which addresses improper neutralization of special elements in output used by a downstream component, and CWE-94, covering improper control of generation of code. The vulnerability enables attackers to inject malicious commands that bypass normal access controls and privilege boundaries, potentially allowing full system compromise.
Operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple command execution, as successful exploitation results in privilege escalation to root level access. This elevation allows attackers to gain complete control over the ISE device including access to all network policies, user authentication data, and potentially sensitive enterprise information stored within the system. The implications are particularly severe for organizations relying on ISE for identity management, network access control, and security policy enforcement, as this compromise could enable attackers to bypass security controls that protect against unauthorized network access and maintain persistent access to critical infrastructure components.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation mechanisms and ensuring proper command sanitization within CLI interfaces. Organizations must apply Cisco's official security advisories and patches promptly while considering additional defensive measures such as monitoring for unusual command patterns and implementing least privilege principles for administrative access. The ATT&CK framework categorizes these vulnerabilities under T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, and T1548 for abuse of privileges, highlighting the need for both preventive controls and detection capabilities. Network segmentation and multi-factor authentication for administrative access can provide additional layers of protection against exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that input validation mechanisms properly handle all potential special characters and escape sequences.