Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software and Firepower Threat Defense Software Web Services Read-Only Path Traversal Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the web services interface of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct directory traversal attacks and read sensitive files on a targeted system. The vulnerability is due to a lack of proper input validation of URLs in HTTP requests processed by an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request containing directory traversal character sequences to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view arbitrary files within the web services file system on the targeted device. The web services file system is enabled when the affected device is configured with either WebVPN or AnyConnect features. This vulnerability cannot be used to obtain access to ASA or FTD system files or underlying operating system (OS) files.
- Published
- Jul 22, 2020
- Updated
- Aug 11, 2026
- EPSS
- 100.0% · 100th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-20
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Report tools
Action score
90
Now
Patch today or shut off access.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 30 / 30 · Listed
- EPSS
- 30 / 30 · 100.0%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- active
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 7.5
- CNA · cisco
- 7.5
- agree
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Actively exploited in the wild
CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021. That signals real attacks, not theory.
Remediation deadline for government agencies: May 3, 2022.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities in the database; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| cisco | adaptive security appliance software | cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software |
| cisco | asa 5505 | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5505 |
| cisco | asa 5510 | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5510 |
| cisco | asa 5512-x | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5512-x |
| cisco | asa 5515-x | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5515-x |
| cisco | asa 5520 | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5520 |
| cisco | asa 5525-x | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5525-x |
| cisco | asa 5540 | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5540 |
| cisco | asa 5545-x | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5545-x |
| cisco | asa 5550 | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5550 |
| cisco | asa 5555-x | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5555-x |
| cisco | asa 5580 | cpe:2.3:h:cisco:asa_5580 |
and 2 more
Using adaptive security appliance software? Add it to your stack and be the first to know about CVEs like this one. (Firewall)
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- cisco adaptive security appliance software9.6 and later · before 9.6.4.42
- cisco adaptive security appliance software9.8 and later · before 9.8.4.20
- cisco adaptive security appliance software9.9 and later · before 9.9.2.74
- cisco adaptive security appliance software9.10 and later · before 9.10.1.42
- cisco adaptive security appliance software9.12 and later · before 9.12.3.12
- cisco adaptive security appliance software9.13 and later · before 9.13.1.10
- cisco adaptive security appliance software9.14 and later · before 9.14.1.10
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (cisco). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Cisco Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software
- unspecified and later · before 9.6.4.42affected
- unspecified and later · before 9.8.4.20affected
- unspecified and later · before 9.9.2.74affected
- unspecified and later · before 9.10.1.42affected
- unspecified and later · before 9.13.1.10affected
- unspecified and later · before 9.14.1.10affected
Same product
cisco: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2025-20362Update: On November 5, 2025, Cisco became aware of a new attack variant against devices running Cisco Secure ASA Software or Cisco Secure FTKEV90Now
- CVE-2025-20333A vulnerability in the VPN web server of Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Secure Firewall Threat DKEV90Now
- CVE-2018-0296A vulnerability in the web interface of the Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to causeKEV90Now
- CVE-2024-20353A vulnerability in the management and VPN web servers for Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat DefensKEV85Now
- CVE-2023-20269A vulnerability in the remote access VPN feature of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTDKEV74This week
- CVE-2016-6367Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software before 8.4(1) on ASA 5500, ASA 5500-X, PIX, and FWSM devices allows local users to gain priKEV68This week
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Exploit-DB entry ×3
- Nuclei detection template ×2
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×23
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Exploit-DB entry | webapps | 2020-07-28 |
| Exploit-DB entry | webapps | 2020-12-15 |
| Exploit-DB entry | webapps | 2020-10-12 |
| Nuclei detection template | Nuclei template CVE-2020-3452 | — |
| Nuclei detection template | Nuclei template cisco-asa-workflow | — |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:2 | 2020-07-24 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:2 | 2020-07-24 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:25 | 2020-07-24 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:0 | 2020-07-24 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:3 | 2020-07-25 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:0 | 2020-07-29 |
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:23 | 2020-08-01 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Published
- First PoC+1 d
- CISA KEV+468 d
- TodayOct 1, 2026+2262 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-20 · Improper Input ValidationCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Server Side Include (SSI) InjectionCAPEC-101likelihood: High · High
- Cross Zone ScriptingCAPEC-104likelihood: Medium · High
- Command Line Execution through SQL InjectionCAPEC-108likelihood: Low · Very High
- Object Relational Mapping InjectionCAPEC-109likelihood: Low · High
- SQL Injection through SOAP Parameter TamperingCAPEC-110likelihood: High · Very High
- Double EncodingCAPEC-120likelihood: Low · Medium
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
ATT&CK techniques
- Obfuscated Files or InformationT1027
- Masquerading: Invalid Code SignatureT1036.001
- Steal Web Session CookieT1539
- Subvert Trust Controls: Code SigningT1553.002
- Impair Defenses:Impair Command History LoggingT1562.003
- Hijack Execution Flow:Dynamic Linker HijackingT1574.006
- Hijack Execution Flow:Path Interception by PATH Environment VariableT1574.007
Change log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/158646/Cisco-ASA-FTD-Remote-File-Disclosure.html
- tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-asaftd-ro-path-KJuQhB86
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-3452
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.