# CVE-2023-20196: File upload in Cisco Identity Services Engine Software

> Authenticated administrators can upload malicious files to Cisco ISE, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution with root privileges.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 1 Nov 2023
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c3jv-24xc-jqh6

## What is CVE-2023-20196?

CVE-2023-20196 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine, published on 1 Nov 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Two vulnerabilities in Cisco ISE could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary files to an affected device. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker must have valid Administrator credentials on the affected device. These vulnerabilities are due to improper validation of files that are uploaded to the web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by uploading a crafted file to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to store malicious files in specific directories on the device. The attacker could later use those files to conduct additional attacks, including executing arbitrary code on the affected device with root privileges.

Weakness: CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20196?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Identity Services Engine.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20196?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20196 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20196 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20196 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-2023-20196 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20196 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine, published on 1 Nov 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20196 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-2023-20196/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20196/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20196
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20196
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20196

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20196/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.