CVE-2024-20359 Cisco ASA and FTD Privilege Escalation
Authenticated local attackers can execute arbitrary code with root privileges by placing a crafted file in system flash memory on Cisco ASA or FTD devices.
- Exploited in the wild
- Since 24 Apr 2024
- Login needed
- An administrator
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2024-20359?
CVE-2024-20359 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, published on 24 Apr 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
A vulnerability in a legacy capability that allowed for the preloading of VPN clients and plug-ins and that has been available in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code with root-level privileges. Administrator-level privileges are required to exploit this vulnerability. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of a file when it is read from system flash memory. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by copying a crafted file to the disk0: file system of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected device after the next reload of the device, which could alter system behavior. Because the injected code could persist across device reboots, Cisco has raised the Security Impact Rating (SIR) of this advisory from Medium to High.
Weakness: CWE-94
Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-20359?
It affects 2 products.
Products include Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software, Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense.
How do I fix CVE-2024-20359?
No fix has been published for CVE-2024-20359 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 1 May 2024.
Upgrade, and never evaluate templates, expressions or code built from user input. More about Code injection.
Is CVE-2024-20359 being exploited?
Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2024-20359 in the wild since at least 24 Apr 2024.
Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software
- CVE-2025-20333 Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Buffer Overflow
- CVE-2016-6366 Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) SNMP Buffer Overflow
- CVE-2026-20349 Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Heap Inspection
- CVE-2024-20353 Cisco ASA and FTD Denial of Service
- CVE-2016-6367 Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) CLI Remote Code Execution
All Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software vulnerabilities
Sources
Also known as GHSA-rqwm-368v-fp53.