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CVE-2023-20177

Severity4.0 Medium CVSS 3.1 2 scores
WeaknessCWE-244
Published1 Nov 2023
Updated11 Aug 2026

Description

A vulnerability in the SSL file policy implementation of Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software that occurs when the SSL/TLS connection is configured with a URL Category and the Snort 3 detection engine could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the Snort 3 detection engine to unexpectedly restart. This vulnerability exists because a logic error occurs when a Snort 3 detection engine inspects an SSL/TLS connection that has either a URL Category configured on the SSL file policy or a URL Category configured on an access control policy with TLS server identity discovery enabled. Under specific, time-based constraints, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted SSL/TLS connection through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to trigger an unexpected reload of the Snort 3 detection engine, resulting in either a bypass or denial of service (DoS) condition, depending on device configuration. The Snort 3 detection engine will restart automatically. No manual intervention is required.

Exploitation status

No public exploit

No exploit has been reported in the sources we check. Published 3 years ago.
  • CISA KEV not listed
  • VulnCheck KEV not listed
  • CISA Vulnrichment no assessment published
  • Indexed PoC none indexed
  • EPSS 0.71% chance in 30 days

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 automated Upstream data
  • Record active
Decided by The only affected product being a sealed appliance image, where Java runs but no -javaagent can be attached
Finding This CVE names only products the Waratek agent cannot be installed into (cisco/secure_firewall_threat_defense). They ship as sealed appliance images or as native code with no application JVM, so there is no start-up line to add -javaagent to. The vulnerability may well be a Java one; it is permanently out of ARMR's reach rather than outside its subject.

CVSS

4.0 MEDIUM v3.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L 2 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 4.0 MEDIUM CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L psirt@cisco.com Secondary published
CVSS 3.1 4.0 MEDIUM CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L NVD Primary

Affected software and releases

Products and versions

1 product, 21 version entries
SourceVendorProductSchemeAffected versions
nvd cisco secure firewall threat defense generic 7.0.0 · 7.0.0.1 · 7.0.1 · 7.0.1.1 · 7.0.2 · 7.0.2.1 · 7.0.3 · 7.0.4 · 7.0.5 · 7.1.0 · 7.1.0.1 · 7.1.0.2 · 7.1.0.3 · 7.2.0 · 7.2.0.1 · 7.2.1 · 7.2.2 · 7.2.3 · 7.3.0 · 7.3.1 · 7.3.1.1

References

URLTags
https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-sa-ftd-snort3-urldos-OccFQTeX Vendor Advisory

Timeline
Published2023-11-01By the CVE Program.
NVD record modified2026-08-11NVD's own last-modified date for this record.