# CVE-2026-20285: Cisco Identity Services Engine Authorization Bypass Vulnerability

> Authenticated administrators can bypass server-side validation to modify file descriptions in Cisco ISE via crafted HTTP requests.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 18 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v6ff-rccc-xfhv

## What is CVE-2026-20285?

CVE-2026-20285 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector, published on 16 Sep 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC) could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to modify parts of the configuration on an affected device.

This vulnerability is due to the lack of server-side validation of Administrator permissions. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by submitting a crafted HTTP request to an affected system. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to modify descriptions of files on a specific page. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need valid Administrator credentials.

Weakness: CWE-285 (Improper Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-20285?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-20285?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-20285 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-20285 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20285 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-20285 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-20285 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector, published on 16 Sep 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20285 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector. 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-2026-20285/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20285/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-20285
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-20285
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-20285

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20285/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.