# CVE-2018-15459: Cisco Identity Services Engine Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

> Authenticated administrators can exploit improper web interface controls to create additional admin accounts with varying roles, escalating privileges within the Cisco ISE system.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Jan 2019
- **Updated:** 20 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rwgp-7676-fj6f

## What is CVE-2018-15459?

CVE-2018-15459 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine, published on 23 Jan 2019. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the administrative web interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to gain additional privileges on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper controls on certain pages in the web interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating to the device with an administrator account and sending a crafted HTTP request. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to create additional Admin accounts with different user roles. An attacker could then use these accounts to perform actions within their scope. The attacker would need valid Admin credentials for the device. This vulnerability cannot be exploited to add a Super Admin account.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-15459?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Identity Services Engine.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-15459?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-15459 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-15459 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-15459 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-2018-15459 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-15459 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine, published on 23 Jan 2019. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-15459 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-2018-15459/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15459/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-15459
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-15459
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-15459

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15459/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.