November 3, 2021 · Applied Cybernetics Group
CVE-2020-3452 — Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)
Cisco ASA and FTD Read-Only Path Traversal Vulnerability
- Added to KEV
2021-11-03- Federal due date
2022-05-03- Vendor
- Cisco
- Product
- Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)
- EPSS
- 100.0th percentile (score 1.000, as of
2026-09-16) - NVD CVSS v3.1
- 7.5 (HIGH)
- Ransomware use
- Unknown
- ATT&CK
- T1005 , T1202 · signal rollup
- Upstream
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3452
CISA short description
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) contain an improper input validation vulnerability when HTTP requests process URLs. 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.
Required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
NVD description
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.