# CVE-2026-20283: Cisco Identity Services Engine IPSec Open API Command Injection Vulnerability

> Authenticated attackers with admin credentials can inject commands into the IPsec API to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges to root.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 16 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6q33-6xqh-fh6f

## What is CVE-2026-20283?

CVE-2026-20283 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine Software, published on 16 Sep 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the IPsec Open API endpoint of Cisco ISE could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to inject arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. 

This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input in IPsec Open API calls. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted input to the IPsec Open API endpoint on an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. 
To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials and the node must have more than one network interface, one of which must be configured as an active IPsec tunnel.
Note: For CVE-2026-20283, Cisco has assigned a Security Impact Rating (SIR) of High rather than Medium as the score indicates. The reason is that it is easy to get to root from the achieved privilege level.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-20283?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-20283?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-20283 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-20283 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20283 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-20283 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-20283 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine Software, published on 16 Sep 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20283 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Identity Services Engine Software. 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-2026-20283/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20283/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-20283
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-20283
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-20283

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20283/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.