CVE-2026-76448 in Identity Services Engine
Summary
by MITRE • 09/16/2026
A vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct an SQL or HQL injection attack on an affected device.
This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input to the affected APIs before it is used to build database queries. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted request to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary SQL or HQL queries against the underlying database, which could allow the attacker to view or modify data that they are not authorized to access. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2026
The identified security flaw resides within Cisco Identity Services Engine and its Passive Identity Connector component, presenting a critical risk vector for organizations relying on these platforms for network access control and identity management. This vulnerability is classified as an SQL or HQL injection issue stemming from insufficient validation of user-supplied input prior to its incorporation into database queries executed by the affected APIs. The core technical deficiency lies in the application's failure to properly sanitize or parameterize inputs received through specific API endpoints, allowing maliciously crafted requests to alter the intended logic of backend database operations. This architectural weakness enables an attacker who has successfully authenticated with valid administrative credentials to inject arbitrary SQL or Hibernate Query Language commands directly into the query structure processed by the underlying database management system.
From a technical perspective, the exploitation mechanism involves crafting specific HTTP requests that contain malicious payloads designed to manipulate the syntax of the database queries being executed. Because the input is not adequately validated against expected formats or restricted character sets, these injected strings are interpreted as executable code rather than data. This allows the attacker to bypass standard application logic and interact directly with the database layer. The consequences of a successful exploitation are severe, potentially granting the adversary the ability to read sensitive information stored in the database that they should not have access to, such as user credentials, policy configurations, or network topology details. Furthermore, depending on the privileges granted by the administrative account used for authentication and the specific capabilities of the underlying database engine, an attacker could modify existing data or even execute commands with elevated system-level permissions if the database service is configured with excessive privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exfiltration. Since exploitation requires valid administrative credentials, it represents a significant insider threat vector or a consequence of compromised privileged accounts. An adversary who obtains these credentials can leverage this flaw to escalate their access further within the network infrastructure managed by ISE. This could lead to unauthorized changes in authentication policies, potentially allowing rogue devices to gain network access while legitimate users are blocked, thereby disrupting business operations and compromising overall security posture. Additionally, the ability to modify data means that audit logs or configuration files critical for forensic analysis and compliance reporting could be tampered with, obscuring evidence of other malicious activities and hindering incident response efforts.
In alignment with industry standards, this vulnerability is categorized under CWE-89, which describes Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command, commonly known as SQL Injection. The specific use of HQL indicates a potential overlap with issues related to object-relational mapping vulnerabilities where query construction relies on string concatenation rather than parameterized queries. From the perspective of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this exploitation technique aligns with T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically through SQL commands used for data access or manipulation (T1059.004). It also relates to T1136, Create Account, if new administrative accounts are created via the injection, and T1078, Valid Accounts, as it requires legitimate credentials to initiate the attack chain.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must ensure that all affected Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC instances are updated to the latest software versions released by Cisco, which include patches for this specific input validation flaw. Immediate remediation should be prioritized given the potential for data compromise and configuration tampering. In addition to applying vendor-provided updates, administrators should enforce strict access controls on API endpoints, ensuring that only necessary services have network connectivity to these interfaces. Implementing Web Application Firewalls with rules specifically tuned to detect SQL injection patterns can provide an additional layer of defense in depth. Regular audits of administrative account usage and monitoring for anomalous database query patterns can also aid in the early detection of exploitation attempts before significant damage occurs.