CVE-2023-20171 in Identity Services Engine
Summary
by MITRE • 05/18/2023
Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an authenticated attacker to delete or read arbitrary files on the underlying operating system. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker must have valid credentials on an affected device. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2025
The Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) represents a critical component in enterprise network security infrastructure serving as a policy management platform that controls access to network resources. These vulnerabilities specifically target the authentication and authorization mechanisms within the ISE platform, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges through file system manipulation. The affected system operates on a Linux-based operating system where the vulnerabilities manifest as improper input validation and insufficient access controls that allow malicious actors with valid credentials to perform unauthorized operations on the underlying file system. This represents a significant escalation from standard user privileges to system-level access, fundamentally compromising the integrity and confidentiality of network access policies.
The technical exploitation of these vulnerabilities occurs through the manipulation of file paths and system commands within the ISE administrative interface, leveraging weaknesses in how the platform processes user inputs and validates file access requests. Attackers can leverage these flaws to read sensitive configuration files, access authentication databases, or even delete critical system files that could disrupt network operations. The vulnerabilities align with CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory) and CWE-73 (Restriction of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory) categories, indicating that the system fails to properly validate file paths and restrict access to system resources. This weakness enables attackers to traverse file system directories beyond the intended scope of their authorized access, potentially gaining access to sensitive data or system components that should remain protected.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete system compromise and potential denial of service conditions. An attacker with valid credentials could potentially disrupt network operations by deleting essential system files or modify critical configuration data that governs network access policies. This could result in unauthorized network access, complete disruption of authentication services, or even the complete takeover of the ISE platform, which serves as the central authority for network access control. The implications align with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 (Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts) and T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) as attackers could leverage legitimate accounts to exploit these vulnerabilities, making detection more challenging. Organizations relying on ISE for network security enforcement face significant risk of lateral movement within their network infrastructure, as the compromised platform could serve as a pivot point for accessing other network resources.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate credential management and access control enforcement, including mandatory password changes for all administrative accounts, implementation of multi-factor authentication, and strict enforcement of principle of least privilege. Network segmentation and monitoring of ISE administrative interfaces should be implemented to detect anomalous file access patterns or unauthorized system modifications. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts, while system hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary services and implementing strict file system access controls should be enforced. Organizations should also consider implementing network access control lists to restrict direct administrative access to ISE platforms and ensure that all administrative activities are logged and monitored for suspicious behavior. The vulnerabilities highlight the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive security monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized file system access patterns within network security platforms.