CVE-2024-20359
Cisco ASA and FTD Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Published Apr 24, 2024 · updated Aug 11, 2026 · cisco adaptive security appliance software
A vulnerability in a legacy capability that allowed for the preloading of VPN clients and plug-ins and that has been available in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with root-level privileges. Administrator-level privileges are required to exploit this vulnerability. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of a file when it is read from system flash memory. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by copying a crafted file to the disk0: file system of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected device after the next reload of the device, which could alter system behavior. Because the injected code could persist across device reboots, Cisco has raised the Security Impact Rating (SIR) of this advisory from Medium to High.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Apr 24, 2024 · Catalog
Detected
A vulnerability in a legacy capability that allowed for the preloading of VPN clients and plug-ins and that has been available in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with root-level privileges. Administrator-level privileges are required to exploit this vulnerabilit
Apr 24, 2024 · CISA KEV
Known exploited
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
May 1, 2024 · CISA KEV
Remediation due
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Aug 11, 2026 · Catalog
Updated
A vulnerability in a legacy capability that allowed for the preloading of VPN clients and plug-ins and that has been available in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with root-level privileges. Administrator-level privileges are required to exploit this vulnerabilit
Required action
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
CISA due date May 1, 2024
Affected
- cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance software9.8.1
- cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance software9.8.1.5
- cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance software9.8.1.7
- cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance software9.8.2
- cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance software9.8.2.14
- cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance software9.8.2.15
- cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance software9.8.2.17
- cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance software9.8.2.8
- cpe cisco/secure firewall threat defense6.2.3
- vendor Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)version unspecified
Sources
- CISA KEVCVE-2024-20359
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) contain a privilege escalation vulnerability that can allow local privilege escalation from Administrator to root.
cisa.gov - CVE.orgCVE-2024-20359
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSCVE-2024-20359
30-day exploitation probability 19.4%
first.org - NIST NVDCVE-2024-20359
A vulnerability in a legacy capability that allowed for the preloading of VPN clients and plug-ins and that has been available in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to exe
nvd.nist.gov