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CVE-2020-3452

Affected software2 products, listed below
Severity7.5 High CVSS 3.1 3 scores
WeaknessPath traversal (CWE-22)
Published22 Jul 2020
Updated11 Aug 2026

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.

CWE-20 · Improper input validation

Exploitation status

Exploited

Confirmed real-world exploitation.
  • CISA KEV listed Confirmed exploitation in the wild. Added 2021-11-03 · remediation due 2022-05-03 · ransomware use: unknown
  • VulnCheck KEV listed Exploitation reported in the wild. 9 citations · honeypot sightings · 21 exploits · earliest 2021-11-03.
  • CISA Vulnrichment no assessment published
  • Indexed PoC 24 indexed Published artifacts you can open, in Exploit-DB, GitHub PoC, Nuclei; first seen 2020-07-24.
  • EPSS 99.9% chance in 30 days A model's forecast, not a report of exploitation. Higher than 99.9% of all scored CVEs.

VulnCheck KEV

Exploitation evidence from VulnCheck Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (VulnCheck KEV), used under VulnCheck's community terms. View CVE-2020-3452 in VulnCheck (free account), which lists 4 more citations and 16 more exploit references not shown here.

EvidenceSourceDetailDate
Honeypot sighting Shadowserver honeypots Exploitation attempts seen on 811 days 2023-11-13 to 2026-11-13
Reported exploitation cisa.gov /sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json 2021-11-03
Reported exploitation blog.talosintelligence.com /content/files/2023/12/2023_Talos_Year_In_Review.pdf 2023-12-07
Reported exploitation media.defense.gov /2024/Sep/18/2003547016/-1/-1/0/CSA-PRC-LINKED-ACTORS-BOTNET.PDF 2024-09-18
Reported exploitation f5.com /labs/articles/threat-intelligence/sensor-intel-series-top-cves-august-2024 2024-09-19
Reported exploitation f5.com /labs/articles/threat-intelligence/botpoke-scanner-switches-ip 2024-11-25
Exploit reference VulnCheck XDB aa17afb12c79 Exploit type: infoleak 2020-07-24
Exploit reference VulnCheck XDB fb8cdd3b2bf7 Exploit type: infoleak 2020-07-24
Exploit reference VulnCheck XDB 46d55b924a43 Exploit type: initial-access 2020-07-25
Exploit reference VulnCheck XDB c9fadd0b730f Exploit type: infoleak 2020-07-28
Exploit reference VulnCheck XDB cd0659505a89 Exploit type: infoleak 2020-08-01
IndexArtifactStarsFirst seen
GitHub PoC CISCO CVE-2020-3452 Scanner & Exploiter 97 2021-01-05
Nuclei Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA)/Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) - Local File Inclusion
Exploit-DB Cisco ASA 9.14.1.10 and FTD 6.6.0.1 - Path Traversal (2) 2020-12-15
GitHub PoC cygenta/CVE-2020-3452 26 2020-12-13
Exploit-DB Cisco ASA and FTD 9.6.4.42 - Path Traversal 2020-10-12
GitHub PoC CVE-2020-3452 Cisco ASA Scanner -unauth Path Traversal Check 25 2020-07-24
Exploit-DB Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software 9.11 - Local File Inclusion 2020-07-28
GitHub PoC Just basic scanner abusing CVE-2020-3452 to enumerate the standard files accessible in the Web Directory of the CISCO ASA applicances. 24 2020-09-28
GitHub PoC CVE-2020-3452 exploit 23 2020-08-01
GitHub PoC [CVE-2020-3452] Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) & Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Web Service Read-Only Directory Traversal 8 2020-08-13

Waratek protection

Outside Waratek scope

A Java vulnerability, but not one Waratek protects. It affects only Java on a user's desktop (applets, Web Start, JavaFX, the installer), sits in a product the Waratek agent can't be installed into, or is in a package we don't expect in business applications. The decision below says which.

  • Protection none
  • Action not pursued none
  • Review human Researcher
  • Record active
Decided by Manual classification of this CVE in the legacy dataset
Finding A manual classification set this CVE's status to Outside Waratek scope, but the CVE names a tracked product.

CVSS

7.5 HIGH v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N 3 metrics

We show the highest score from the newest CVSS version. Scores from different versions can't be compared, and the first score listed is sometimes a 0.0 placeholder.

VersionScoreBandVectorAssignerType
CVSS 3.1 7.5 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N psirt@cisco.com Secondary published
CVSS 3.1 7.5 HIGH CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N NVD Primary
CVSS 2.0 5.0 none AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N NVD Primary

Affected software and releases

Products and versions

2 products, 12 version entries
SourceVendorProductSchemeAffected versions
nvd cisco adaptive security appliance software generic ≥ 9.6 and ＜ 9.6.4.42 · ≥ 9.8 and ＜ 9.8.4.20 · ≥ 9.9 and ＜ 9.9.2.74 · ≥ 9.10 and ＜ 9.10.1.42 · ≥ 9.12 and ＜ 9.12.3.12 · ≥ 9.13 and ＜ 9.13.1.10 · ≥ 9.14 and ＜ 9.14.1.10
nvd cisco secure firewall threat defense generic ≥ 6.2.3 and ＜ 6.2.3.16 · ≥ 6.3.0 and ＜ 6.3.0.6 · ≥ 6.4.0 and ＜ 6.4.0.10 · ≥ 6.5.0 and ＜ 6.5.0.5 · ≥ 6.6.0 and ＜ 6.6.0.1

References

URLTags
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158646/Cisco-ASA-FTD-Remote-File-Disclosure.html Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158647/Cisco-Adaptive-Security-Appliance-Software-9.11-Local-File-Inclusion.html Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159523/Cisco-ASA-FTD-9.6.4.42-Path-Traversal.html Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/160497/Cisco-ASA-9.14.1.10-FTD-6.6.0.1-Path-Traversal.html Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-asaftd-ro-path-KJuQhB86 Vendor Advisory
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-3452 US Government Resource

Timeline
Published2020-07-22By the CVE Program.
Added to CISA KEV2021-11-03Listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
VulnCheck KEV: earliest evidence2021-11-03Date of the oldest evidence of exploitation in VulnCheck KEV's record. VulnCheck does not publish the date it listed the CVE.
NVD record modified2026-08-11NVD's own last-modified date for this record.
VulnCheck KEV: latest evidence2026-11-13Date of the newest report, exploit reference or honeypot sighting in VulnCheck KEV's record.