# CVE-2009-2631: Clientless SSL VPN products break web browser domain-based security models

> Clientless SSL VPNs violating same-origin policy allow attackers to execute XSS, steal cookies, and access internal resources via browser-based attacks.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Dec 2009
- **Updated:** 16 Jun 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jvhh-4rp5-cfmm

## What is CVE-2009-2631?

CVE-2009-2631 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance, published on 4 Dec 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Multiple clientless SSL VPN products that run in web browsers, including Stonesoft StoneGate; Cisco ASA; SonicWALL E-Class SSL VPN and SonicWALL SSL VPN; SafeNet SecureWire Access Gateway; Juniper Networks Secure Access; Nortel CallPilot; Citrix Access Gateway; and other products, when running in configurations that do not restrict access to the same domain as the VPN, retrieve the content of remote URLs from one domain and rewrite them so they originate from the VPN's domain, which violates the same origin policy and allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting attacks, read cookies that originated from other domains, access the Web VPN session to gain access to internal resources, perform key logging, and conduct other attacks.  NOTE: it could be argued that this is a fundamental design problem in any clientless VPN solution, as opposed to a commonly-introduced error that can be fixed in separate implementations. Therefore a single CVE has been assigned for all products that have this design

Weakness: CWE-264, CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-2631?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Aladdin Safenet Securewire Access Gateway, Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance, Sonicwall E-Class Ssl Vpn, Sonicwall Ssl Vpn, Stonesoft Stonegate.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-2631?

No fix has been published for CVE-2009-2631 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2009-2631 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-2631 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-2631 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-2631 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance, published on 4 Dec 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-2631 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-2631/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-2631/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-2631
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-2631
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-2631

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-2631/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.