# CVE-2018-0221: Command injection in Cisco Identity Services Engine

> Authenticated local attackers with admin credentials can inject commands into the underlying OS or cause session hangs via flawed CLI input validation.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Mar 2018
- **Updated:** 2 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g4f6-m2vq-p28h

## What is CVE-2018-0221?

CVE-2018-0221 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine, published on 8 Mar 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in specific CLI commands for the Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform command injection to the underlying operating system or cause a hang or disconnect of the user session. The attacker needs valid administrator credentials for the device. The vulnerability is due to incomplete input validation of user input for certain CLI ISE configuration commands. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating as an administrative user, issuing a specific CLI command, and entering crafted, malicious user input for the command parameters. An exploit could allow the attacker to perform command injection to the lower-level Linux operating system. It is also possible the attacker could cause the ISE user interface for this management session to hang or disconnect. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg95479.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-0221?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Identity Services Engine.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-0221?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-0221 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-0221 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0221 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-2018-0221 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-0221 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine, published on 8 Mar 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0221 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-2018-0221/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0221/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-0221
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-0221
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-0221

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0221/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.