CVE-2026-76426: Cisco ISE REST API SQL Injection Vulnerability
Tech GuruQuick Answer
CVE-2026-76426 allows an authenticated administrator to read the ISE or ISE-PIC monitoring database through REST API SQL injection. Cisco rates this CVE Medium, separately from the Critical grouped advisory. Match the installed release to its fixed-software guidance and assess possible monitoring-data disclosure.
Fix Or Immediate Action
What to do now: Confirm the affected product, release, and configuration. Cisco provides no workaround; reduce exposure where operationally feasible. Upgrade to the CVE-specific First Fixed release in Cisco's advisory table.
Last verified: 2026-09-17 UTC from Cisco's advisory and CSAF record. Recheck both the affected-products and fixed-software sections before a production change.
Context
Scope And Impact In Plain Language
Who should check: Administrators of Cisco ISE and ISE-PIC; both products appear in this CVE's scope.
When this applies: This vulnerability affects Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC, regardless of device configuration.
What could happen: An attacker with valid administrative credentials may inject SQL through affected REST API parameters and read information from the monitoring database. The stated outcome is disclosure, not modification of that database or operating-system control.
Not sure? Identify the product and exact patch level, then preserve administrative REST requests and monitoring-database access evidence. Use this CVE's Medium rating and actual exposure when setting its response deadline, while retaining the separate Critical rating of the combined advisory.
Status At A Glance
| Product scope | Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) |
|---|---|
| CVE | CVE-2026-76426 |
| TechGeeks response tier | P1 — urgent |
| Publication | New final Cisco advisory |
| First published | 2026-09-16T16:00:00+00:00 |
| Last updated | 2026-09-16T16:00:00+00:00 |
| Cisco advisory SIR | Critical |
| CVE-specific Cisco SIR | Medium |
| CVSS base score / severity | 4.9 — Medium |
| CVSS vector | CVSS v3.1 — CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N |
| CISA KEV at last check | No — this is separate from Cisco severity and is not proof of no exploitation. |
| Cisco exploitation statement | The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerabilities that are described in this advisory. |
What Happened
The REST API concatenates insufficiently validated parameters into a SQL statement. A crafted request from an administrator can read information from the monitoring database in ISE or ISE-PIC. Cisco tracks the defect as CSCwu20156. This description establishes disclosure, not database modification or root-level command execution.
Affected Scope
This vulnerability affects Cisco ISE and Cisco ISE-PIC, regardless of device configuration.
Match the exact hardware or virtual platform, installed train, patch level, enabled service, role, and management or data-plane exposure. A Cisco product-family name alone does not establish applicability.
Steps
What To Do Now
- Confirm. Inventory Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and record platform, exact release, patch level, enabled feature, role, and exposure.
- Preserve. Save UTC context plus off-device authentication, management, firewall, network, endpoint, and SIEM evidence before logs rotate or a disruptive change removes context.
- Scope. Compare each asset with the live Cisco advisory, including configuration prerequisites and exclusions.
- Reduce exposure. Cisco documents no workaround for this CVE. Use only supported exposure controls while preparing the permanent fix.
- Remediate. Confirm the affected product, release, and configuration. Cisco provides no workaround; reduce exposure where operationally feasible. Upgrade to the CVE-specific First Fixed release in Cisco's advisory table.
- Validate. Confirm the resulting version, service health, logging, expected access, an expected denial, failover or cluster state, and representative dependent workflows.
- Escalate. If evidence or exposure creates concern, open incident response and Cisco TAC recovery work rather than treating patch completion as proof of trust.
Fixed Releases And Mitigation
Permanent Fix
Cisco method: Use the live advisory's CVE-specific First Fixed Release table.
No compact per-CVE fixed-release table is reproduced here because Cisco may use different First Fixed values by CVE and software train. Use this CVE's live advisory table or Cisco Software Checker; do not infer a fixed release from a combined hardening baseline or another Cisco notice.
Workaround Or Temporary Mitigation
No vendor workaround is documented for CVE-2026-76426. Use supported exposure controls only as temporary risk reduction while preparing the permanent software fix.
Important boundary: A workaround, ACL, exposure reduction, or service restriction can reduce risk while the update is prepared, but it does not patch the vulnerable code, prove every attack path is closed, or erase an earlier compromise.
Investigation And Recovery
Review management authentication, account and privilege changes, API and web requests, configuration changes, crashes or restarts, resource pressure, and relevant external network telemetry for the vulnerable period. Preserve original evidence and follow Cisco TAC or incident-response guidance for containment, credential rotation, trusted rebuild, or service restoration when findings warrant it.
Notes
Exploitation Evidence
Cisco's exact status at the last check: The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerabilities that are described in this advisory.
This CVE was not present in the TechGeeks CISA KEV snapshot at the last check. Cisco's 'not aware' statement and absence from KEV are time-bounded evidence, not claims that exploitation is impossible or has never happened. Severity and exploitation status remain separate signals.
Validation And Boundaries
This notice is documentation-backed. TechGeeks did not reproduce the exploit or independently test every fixed build. It does not prove that all members of the product family are affected, that the activity is widespread, that a clean indicator search excludes compromise, or that an update restored trust. Cisco's live advisory controls affected and fixed release information.
Related TechGeeks Resources
- TechGeeks Security Notice Center
- All Security Notices
- What to Do When a Device Hits CISA KEV
- Router CVE Exposure, Version, and Mitigation Checklist
- IoT Firmware Update and End-of-Support Checklist
- Live Protect and Runtime Vulnerability Shielding
References
Wrap-Up
Record whether CVE-2026-76426 applies. If it does, assign an owner and deadline appropriate to the Critical Cisco advisory SIR, preserve the evidence, complete Cisco's remediation, and document the validated result.
Correction policy: A material Cisco revision to scope, severity, exploitation status, workarounds, fixed software, or recovery guidance triggers an update and a new verification date.
