Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-20272

Cisco Identity Services Engine 3.0.0 … 3.1

Published
21 November 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 6.7
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
EPSS Score 0.0089 56th percentile
Risk Priority 52 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-20272 is a medium-severity Improper Protection of Alternate Path (CWE-424) vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine. Its CVSS base score is 6.7 (Medium).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 44% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A01:2025 Broken Access Control

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Identity Services Engine could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to upload malicious files to the web root of the application. This vulnerability is due to insufficient file input validation. An attacker…

more

could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a malicious file to the web interface. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to replace files and gain access to sensitive server-side information.

CWE(s)
CWE-424NVD-CWE-noinfo

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1083 File and Directory Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-20486Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
CVE-2023-20077Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
CVE-2023-20087Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
CVE-2024-20527Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
CVE-2024-20332Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
CVE-2024-20417Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
CVE-2024-20476Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
CVE-2024-20528Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
CVE-2024-20368Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine
CVE-2023-20106Same product: Cisco Identity Services Engine

Affected Assets

cisco
identity services engine
3.0.0, 3.1

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 6 hardening rules · 4 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

—

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

AC-17 Remote Access
addresses: CWE-424

Documenting requirements and authorizing remote access ensures proper protection of alternate paths.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Enforcing and reviewing authorizations across all access paths directly prevents alternate-path bypasses.

PR.IR-01 partial match
prevents

Logical segmentation and unauthorized-access protections reduce the attack surface of unprotected alternate paths.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.2 Privileged access rights mostly match
prevents

Privileged access rights must be enforced on every possible route to privileged functions.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing can discover unprotected alternate paths before release.

A.8.3 Information access restriction mostly match
prevents

Information access restriction mechanisms must close all alternate paths to restricted data or functions.

A.5.15 Access control partial match
prevents

Access control policy directly requires protection of all entry points to restricted functionality.

A.5.18 Access rights partial match
prevents

Managing access rights must cover every alternate path that could bypass intended restrictions.

A.8.20 Networks security partial match
mitigates

Network security can limit some alternate paths but is not the primary control for application-level path protection.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 9 (1 rule)
  • V-271452 OL 9 must use a Linux Security Module configured to enforce limits on system services. prevents CWE-424
RHEL 9 (1 rule)
  • V-258078 RHEL 9 must use a Linux Security Module configured to enforce limits on system services. prevents CWE-424
Ubuntu 22.04 (1 rule)
  • V-260529 Ubuntu 22.04 LTS must be configured so that remote X connections are disabled, unless to fulfill documented and validated mission requirements. prevents CWE-424
Ubuntu 24.04 (1 rule)
  • V-270708 Ubuntu 24.04 LTS must be configured so that remote X connections are disabled, unless to fulfill documented and validated mission requirements. prevents CWE-424

References