# CVE-2025-20282: Cisco Identity Services Engine Software - Arbitrary File Upload

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2025-20282 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2025-20282

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Limited Exploitation. The vulnerability is known but shows very limited attacker interest or exploitation activity.
- **CVSS score:** 10.0
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** Cisco Identity Services Engine Software
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)
- **Tags:** enterprise_software

## Description

A vulnerability in an internal API of Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary files to an affected device and then execute those files on the underlying operating system as root.

This vulnerability is due a lack of file validation checks that would prevent uploaded files from being placed in privileged directories on an affected system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading a crafted file to the affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to store malicious files on the affected system and then execute arbitrary code or obtain root privileges on the system.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2025-20282](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2025-20282) is a critical arbitrary file upload vulnerability in Cisco Identity Services Engine and Cisco ISE-PIC that allows unauthenticated, remote attackers to upload files to privileged directories. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code as root, gain complete control of affected systems, access sensitive information, and disrupt services.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 26th of August 2026.

CrowdSec has not observed any significant exploitation activity targeting CVE-2025-20282 across its network. As a result, no community-driven trend analysis is available for this vulnerability at this time.

Attackers first probe `/admin/login.jsp` for Cisco ISE session indicators, then target `/admin/files-upload/` with an unauthenticated multipart form upload containing a crafted ZIP archive.

## Timeline

- 2025-06-25: CVE Published. CVE-2025-20282 is published to NVD.
- 2026-08-26: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2025-20282 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.

## References

- https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-unauth-rce-ZAd2GnJ6
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2025/CVE-2025-20282.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2025-20282) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2025-20282. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.