# CVE-2018-0229: Auth bypass in Cisco ASA Software, FTD Software, and AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client > An attacker can hijack a valid authentication token via session fixation in SAML SSO, allowing unauthorized access to AnyConnect VPN sessions. - **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`) - **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:** 19 Apr 2018 - **Updated:** 29 Nov 2024 - **Also known as:** GHSA-jp4c-v6vq-9m4m ## What is CVE-2018-0229? CVE-2018-0229 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, published on 19 Apr 2018. 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 A vulnerability in the implementation of Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Desktop Platforms, Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to establish an authenticated AnyConnect session through an affected device running ASA or FTD Software. The authentication would need to be done by an unsuspecting third party, aka Session Fixation. The vulnerability exists because there is no mechanism for the ASA or FTD Software to detect that the authentication request originates from the AnyConnect client directly. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to click a crafted link and authenticating using the company's Identity Provider (IdP). A successful exploit could allow the attacker to hijack a valid authentication token and use that to establish an authenticated AnyConnect session through an affected device running ASA or FTD Software. This vulnerability affects the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, and ASA Software and FTD Software configured for SAML 2.0-based SSO for AnyConnect Remote Access VPN that is running on the following Cisco products: 3000 Series Industrial Security Appliances (ISA), ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances, ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls, ASA Services Module for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches and Cisco 7600 Series Routers, Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv), Firepower 2100 Series Security Appliance, Firepower 4100 Series Security Appliance, Firepower 9300 ASA Security Module, FTD Virtual (FTDv). Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg65072, CSCvh87448. Weakness: CWE-384 (Session Fixation) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-0229? It affects 2 products. Products: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client. ## How do I fix CVE-2018-0229? No fix has been published for CVE-2018-0229 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. ## Is CVE-2018-0229 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0229 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software - [CVE-2025-20333](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-20333/): Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Buffer Overflow (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2016-6366](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6366/): Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) SNMP Buffer Overflow (high 8.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-20349](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-20349/): Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Heap Inspection (high 8.6, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-20353](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-20353/): Cisco ASA and FTD Denial of Service (high 8.6, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2016-6367](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6367/): Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) CLI Remote Code Execution (high 7.8, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2018-0229 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2018-0229 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, published on 19 Apr 2018. 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-2018-0229 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software. 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-2018-0229/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0229/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-0229 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-0229 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-0229 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0229/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.