Cisco Identity Services RADIUS Vulnerability Allows Attackers to Trigger Denial of Service Condition

Cisco has disclosed a significant security vulnerability in its Identity Services Engine (ISE) that could enable unauthenticated remote attackers to cause denial of service conditions by exploiting flaws in the RADIUS message processing feature.

The vulnerability, which was discovered during Cisco’s internal security testing, allows attackers to force affected devices to reload by sending specially crafted authentication requests through network access devices utilizing ISE for AAA services.

The security flaw stems from improper handling of certain RADIUS requests within Cisco ISE’s authentication processing workflow.

Technical analysis reveals that unauthenticated attackers can trigger this vulnerability remotely by sending specific authentication requests to network access devices (NADs) that use Cisco ISE for authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) services.

When successfully exploited, the vulnerability causes the Cisco ISE system to unexpectedly reload, disrupting network authentication services and potentially affecting enterprise network access control.

The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it requires no authentication credentials or specialized access to execute, making it relatively straightforward for malicious actors to exploit once identified.

Affected Systems and Scope of Impact

This vulnerability specifically impacts Cisco ISE deployments configured with RADIUS authentication services.

Security researchers note that since RADIUS services are enabled by default in standard configurations, most deployments are potentially vulnerable unless specifically configured otherwise.

Technical specifications confirm that only Cisco ISE version 3.4 is affected by this vulnerability, while version 3.3 and earlier releases remain unaffected.

Organizations using Cisco ISE exclusively for TACACS+ authentication are not vulnerable to this specific attack vector.

The absence of viable workarounds significantly increases the severity of this vulnerability, as affected organizations must apply patches to mitigate the risk.

Security teams should conduct immediate assessments to determine if their deployments utilize the affected authentication mechanisms.

Cisco has addressed the vulnerability by releasing patched software in version 3.4P1 for affected systems.

Organizations currently running Cisco ISE 3.4 should prioritize upgrading to this patched release through their established software update channels.

Customers with valid service contracts can obtain the security fix through their regular update mechanisms, while those without service contracts should contact the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) for assistance with obtaining the necessary updates.

According to Cisco’s Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT), there are no indications of public disclosure or active exploitation of this vulnerability in the wild, providing organizations with a critical window to implement patches before widespread exploitation attempts.

The vulnerability was identified during Cisco’s internal security testing procedures, highlighting the importance of proactive security assessment in identifying potential threats before they can be exploited maliciously.

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