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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2020-3452

Cisco ASA and FTD Read-Only Path Traversal Vulnerability

Published Jul 22, 2020 · catalog updated Aug 11, 2026 · Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)

Patch now

CVE-2020-3452 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due May 3, 2022. Confirm Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Gaps on this record

  • No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
Severity
High7.5
Known exploitation
CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
99.99%
Remediation
Remediation guidance
Affected products
cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance software · cpe cisco/secure firewall threat defense · vendor Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)

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.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • cpe cisco/adaptive security appliance softwareversion unspecified
  • cpe cisco/secure firewall threat defenseversion unspecified
  • vendor Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)version unspecified

How to fix CVE-2020-3452

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

CVE-2020-3452 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due May 3, 2022. Confirm Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.

Which versions are affected?

Affected version ranges are not on this record. Apply updates per vendor instructions.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-20: Improper Input Validation; CWE-22: Path Traversal. EPSS 99.99%. The CISA KEV listing is the exploitation evidence. A public exploit reference is linked in Sources. That is not the same as confirmed exploitation. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Technology hubs

Cisco security

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Jul 22, 2020 · Catalog

    Detected

    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

  2. Nov 3, 2021 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  3. May 3, 2022 · CISA KEV

    Remediation due

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

  4. Aug 11, 2026 · Catalog

    Updated

    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

Sources

  • CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2020-3452

    Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) contain an improper input validation vulnerability when HTTP requests process URLs. 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 ser

    cisa.gov
  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2020-3452

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2020-3452

    30-day exploitation probability 100.0%

    first.org
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference48722

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference48871

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference49262

    Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

    exploit-db.com
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2020-3452

    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

    nvd.nist.gov
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158646/Cisco-ASA-FTD-Remote-File-Disclosure.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158647/Cisco-Adaptive-Security-Appliance-Software-9.11-Local-File-Inclusion.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159523/Cisco-ASA-FTD-9.6.4.42-Path-Traversal.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/160497/Cisco-ASA-9.14.1.10-FTD-6.6.0.1-Path-Traversal.html

    Packet Storm link already published on the finding.

    packetstormsecurity.com
  • VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2020-3452

    Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) contain an improper input validation vulnerability when HTTP requests process URLs. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request containing directory traversal character s

    vulncheck.com

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 17, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.