# CVE-2020-3452: Cisco ASA and FTD Read-Only Path Traversal

> Unauthenticated attackers can read sensitive files via directory traversal if WebVPN or AnyConnect is enabled on Cisco ASA or FTD devices.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Jul 2020
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q26c-r46f-6fcq

## What is CVE-2020-3452?

CVE-2020-3452 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, published on 22 Jul 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official 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.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-3452?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-3452?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-3452 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2020-3452 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-3452 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Public exploit code:

- CISCO CVE-2020-3452 Scanner & Exploiter (github_poc): https://github.com/darklotuskdb/CISCO-CVE-2020-3452-Scanner-Exploiter
- https://github.com/cygenta/CVE-2020-3452 (github_poc): https://github.com/cygenta/CVE-2020-3452
- CVE-2020-3452 Cisco ASA Scanner -unauth Path Traversal Check (github_poc): https://github.com/PR3R00T/CVE-2020-3452-Cisco-Scanner
- Just basic scanner abusing CVE-2020-3452 to enumerate the standard files accessible in the Web Directory of the CISCO ASA applicances. (github_poc): https://github.com/3ndG4me/CVE-2020-3452-Exploit
- CVE-2020-3452 exploit (github_poc): https://github.com/0x5ECF4ULT/CVE-2020-3452
- [CVE-2020-3452] Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) & Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Web Service Read-Only Directory Traversal (github_poc): https://github.com/murataydemir/CVE-2020-3452

## 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-2020-3452 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-3452 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, published on 22 Jul 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-3452 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

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-2020-3452/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3452/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-3452
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3452
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-3452

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3452/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.