CVE-2026-20241: Cisco Identity Services Engine authorization bypass in certificate enrollment

CVE-2026-20241 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-11-04

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is an access control platform that authenticates devices and users on corporate networks. A flaw in its authorization checks allows unauthenticated remote attackers to obtain endpoint identity certificates without proper validation, potentially enabling network access and credential theft for further attacks.

Technologies: Cisco Identity Services Engine, Cisco Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector. Vendors: Cisco.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-20241 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-20241 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-20241?
Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 4 November 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Cisco Identity Services Engine 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5; Cisco Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-20241?
Yes: fixed in Identity Services Engine 3.1 Patch 12, 3.2 Patch 11, 3.3 Patch 12, 3.4 Patch 7, 3.5 Patch 4; Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector 3.1 Patch 12, 3.2 Patch 11, 3.3 Patch 12, 3.4 Patch 7. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2026-20241 attacked?
It is attacked over the network.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-20241?
Check whether you run Cisco Identity Services Engine or Cisco Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

How to fix

  • Fixed in: Identity Services Engine 3.1 Patch 12, 3.2 Patch 11, 3.3 Patch 12, 3.4 Patch 7, 3.5 Patch 4; Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector 3.1 Patch 12, 3.2 Patch 11, 3.3 Patch 12, 3.4 Patch 7

Technical details

The vulnerability stems from improper authorization checks in the ISE certificate enrollment mechanism (CWE-285). An unauthenticated attacker can send a crafted request over the network to bypass authorization controls and obtain an endpoint identity certificate. The attack has no prerequisites beyond network access, and a successful exploit grants the attacker a certificate that could be used for network access or lateral movement.

Affected products

  • Cisco Identity Services Engine 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5
  • Cisco Identity Services Engine Passive Identity Connector 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

Timeline

  • 2026-11-04: disclosed

References

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