How severe is CVE-2023-20166?

CVE-2023-20166 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2023-20166 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (13th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-20166?

CVE-2023-20166 primarily affects Cisco Identity Services Engine. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2023-20166?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2023-20166 published?

CVE-2023-20166 was published on 2023-05-18 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2023-20166

CVE-2023-20166 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-22.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.0)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (13th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-22
Affected product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
Published: 2023-05-18
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an authenticated attacker to perform path traversal attacks on the underlying operating system to either elevate privileges to root or read arbitrary files. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker must have valid Administrator credentials on the affected device. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-20166?: Multiple vulnerabilities in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could allow an authenticated attacker to perform path traversal attacks on the underlying operating system to either elevate privileges to root or read arbitrary files. To exploit these vulnerabilities, an attacker must have valid Administrator credentials on the affected device. For more information about these vulnerabilities, see the Details section of this advisory.
How severe is CVE-2023-20166?: CVE-2023-20166 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2023-20166 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (13th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-20166?: CVE-2023-20166 primarily affects Cisco Identity Services Engine. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-20166?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2023-20166 published?: CVE-2023-20166 was published on 2023-05-18 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-traversal-ZTUgMYhu

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.2:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.2:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*

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