# CVE-2026-20284: Cisco Identity Search Engine SXP REST API SQL Injection Vulnerability

> Authenticated attackers with admin credentials can perform SQL injection via the SXP REST API to read or modify database data and potentially cause denial of service.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 18 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9jpc-f2m6-gmpp

## What is CVE-2026-20284?

CVE-2026-20284 is a critical SQL 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 SXP REST API of Cisco ISE could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to conduct SQL injection attacks.

This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input in REST API calls. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted input to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view or modify data on the underlying database for the affected device. In single-node deployments, successful exploitation of this vulnerability could cause the affected ISE node to become unavailable, resulting in a DoS condition. In that condition, endpoints that have not already authenticated would be unable to access the network until the node is restored.
To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials, have the SXP service enabled, and have at least one SXP connection configured.

Weakness: CWE-943 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Data Query Logic)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-20284?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-20284?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-20284 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-20284 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20284 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-20284 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-20284 is a critical SQL 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-2026-20284 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-2026-20284/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20284/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-20284
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-20284
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-20284

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20284/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.