How severe is CVE-2026-20234?

CVE-2026-20234 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.9, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-20234 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (29th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-20234?

CVE-2026-20234 primarily affects Cisco Identity Services Engine. In total, 42 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-20234?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2026-20234 published?

CVE-2026-20234 was published on 2026-09-16 and last updated on 2026-09-28.

CVE-2026-20234

CVE-2026-20234 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.9. 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-522.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.9)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (29th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-522
Affected product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
Published: 2026-09-16
Last modified: 2026-09-28

Description

As part of Cisco's ongoing commitment to proactive security and product quality, the Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC) engineering teams have conducted a comprehensive internal security review. This review resulted in a software hardening release that addresses multiple internally discovered vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities tracked by CVE-2026-20234 are related to insufficiently protected credentials issues that are grouped under the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) Pillar CWE-522.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-20234?: As part of Cisco's ongoing commitment to proactive security and product quality, the Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco ISE Passive Identity Connector (ISE-PIC) engineering teams have conducted a comprehensive internal security review. This review resulted in a software hardening release that addresses multiple internally discovered vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities tracked by CVE-2026-20234 are related to insufficiently protected credentials issues that are grouped under the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) Pillar CWE-522.
How severe is CVE-2026-20234?: CVE-2026-20234 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.9, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-20234 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (29th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-20234?: CVE-2026-20234 primarily affects Cisco Identity Services Engine. In total, 42 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-20234?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2026-20234 published?: CVE-2026-20234 was published on 2026-09-16 and last updated on 2026-09-28.

References

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-hardening-ise-XU5EwX5T

Affected products (42)

cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch10:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch11:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch7:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch8:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.3.0:patch9:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.4.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.5.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.5.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.5.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine:3.5.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch10:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch11:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch7:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch8:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.3.0:patch9:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:patch3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:cisco:identity_services_engine_passive_identity_connector:3.4.0:patch4:*:*:*:*:*:*

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