# CVE-2013-5538: Missing authorization in n/a

> Remote attackers can read arbitrary files in Cisco ISE Sponsor Portal due to weak file permissions, requiring no authentication.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Oct 2013
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p4gw-4f9m-3rw4

## What is CVE-2013-5538?

CVE-2013-5538 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine, published on 16 Oct 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Sponsor Portal in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) uses weak permissions for uploaded files, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a direct request, aka Bug ID CSCui67506.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2013-5538?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Cisco Identity Services Engine, Cisco Identity Services Engine Software.

## How do I fix CVE-2013-5538?

No fix has been published for CVE-2013-5538 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2013-5538 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2013-5538 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Identity Services Engine

- [CVE-2026-76460](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-76460/): Cisco Identity Services Engine Incorrect Use of Privileged APIs (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-20337](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20337/): Cisco Identity Services Engine Injection (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-20281](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20281/): Cisco Identity Services Engine Injection (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-20130](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20130/): Cisco Identity Services Engine Hardening Release - Improper Neutralization Vulnerabilities (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-20192](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20192/): Cisco Identity Services Engine Hardening Release - Access Control Vulnerabilities (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2013-5538 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2013-5538 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine, published on 16 Oct 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2013-5538 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Identity Services Engine. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-5538/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-5538/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2013-5538
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-5538
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2013-5538

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-5538/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.