CVE-2024-20487 in Identity Services Engine Software
Summary
by MITRE • 11/06/2024
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco ISE could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct a stored XSS attack against a user of the interface.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input by the web-based management interface of an affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability 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 this vulnerability, the attacker must have at least a low-privileged account on an affected device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2025
Cisco ISE contains a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that represents a significant security risk for organizations relying on this identity service engine. The vulnerability exists within the web-based management interface and stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data. This flaw allows authenticated attackers with low-privileged accounts to inject malicious scripts that persist within the application's storage and execute when other users access affected pages. The vulnerability is classified as a stored XSS issue under CWE-079 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation in web applications. The attack vector requires an authenticated session, meaning that an attacker must first establish credentials with at least minimal privileges on the system, but once achieved, the impact extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enabling full session hijacking and data exfiltration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple code injection as it provides attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary scripts within the context of the web interface, potentially allowing them to access sensitive browser-based information and user sessions. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, modify user permissions, or redirect victims to malicious sites that appear legitimate within the trusted network environment. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once malicious code is injected, it remains persistent and automatically executes whenever affected users access the compromised interface pages. This characteristic significantly amplifies the attack surface and makes detection more challenging as the malicious code is embedded within legitimate application data rather than existing as a separate payload. The vulnerability affects the web-based management interface specifically, which means that administrative functions and user management capabilities become potential attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to network resources.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including strengthening authentication controls to prevent unauthorized access, implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious requests. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their ISE deployments to identify any existing malicious payloads that may have been previously injected. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection, where attackers exploit web application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code in the context of the victim's browser. Network segmentation and privileged access controls should be reinforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, while regular security updates and patch management procedures should be implemented to address similar vulnerabilities in other network infrastructure components. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for comprehensive security testing of web interfaces and the importance of following secure coding practices to prevent common web application vulnerabilities that could compromise entire network environments.