---
id: CVE-2026-20148
title: >-
  A vulnerability in Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an authenticated,
  remote attacker to perform path traversal attacks on the underlying operating
  system and read arbitrary files
summary: >-
  A vulnerability in Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an authenticated,
  remote attacker to perform path traversal attacks on the underlying operating
  system and read arbitrary files. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker
  must …
severity: medium
cvss: 4.9
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'
cwe:
  - CWE-22
vendor: cisco
product: identity_services_engine
affected:
  - identity_services_engine < 3.1
  - identity_services_engine = 3.1.0
  - identity_services_engine = 3.2.0
  - identity_services_engine = 3.3.0
  - identity_services_engine = 3.4.0
  - identity_services_engine = 3.5.0
  - identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector < 3.1.0
  - identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.1.0
  - identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.2.0
  - identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.3.0
  - identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.4.0
  - identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.5.0
patched:
  - identity_services_engine 3.1
  - identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.1.0
published: '2026-04-15'
updated: '2026-07-08'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-20148'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-rce-traversal-8bYndVrZ
    label: psirt@cisco.com
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.06537
epssPercentile: 0.93573
ingestedAt: '2026-07-08T14:51:15.641Z'
---

## Overview

A vulnerability in Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to perform path traversal attacks on the underlying operating system and read arbitrary files. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials.

This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to an affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to access sensitive files on the affected system.

## Affected

- `identity_services_engine < 3.1`
- `identity_services_engine = 3.1.0`
- `identity_services_engine = 3.2.0`
- `identity_services_engine = 3.3.0`
- `identity_services_engine = 3.4.0`
- `identity_services_engine = 3.5.0`
- `identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector < 3.1.0`
- `identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.1.0`
- `identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.2.0`
- `identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.3.0`
- `identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.4.0`
- `identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector = 3.5.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `identity_services_engine 3.1`
- `identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector 3.1.0`