CVE-2020-3452 [Exploited] | Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance… Input Validation Bypass

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.

EDB-ID	Source	Kind	Published	Link
49262	exploit_db	edb	2020-12-15	Exploit-DB ↗
48871	exploit_db	edb	2020-10-12	Exploit-DB ↗
48722	exploit_db	edb	2020-07-28	Exploit-DB ↗
—	nvd_ref	exploit_tag		Exploit-DB ↗
—	nvd_ref	exploit_tag		Exploit-DB ↗
—	nvd_ref	exploit_tag		Exploit-DB ↗

EDB-ID

Source

Kind

Published

Link

49262

exploit_db

edb

2020-12-15

Exploit-DB ↗

48871

exploit_db

edb

2020-10-12

Exploit-DB ↗

48722

exploit_db

edb

2020-07-28

Exploit-DB ↗

—

nvd_ref

exploit_tag

Exploit-DB ↗

—

nvd_ref

exploit_tag

Exploit-DB ↗

—

nvd_ref

exploit_tag

Exploit-DB ↗

#	Date	Old EPSS score	New EPSS score	Delta (New - Old)
1	2026-05-13	94.45%	94.43%	-0.02%
2	2026-03-04	94.44%	94.45%	+0.01%
3	2026-03-01	—	94.44%	—

Date

Old EPSS score

New EPSS score

Delta (New - Old)

2026-05-13

94.45%

94.43%

-0.02%

2026-03-04

94.44%

94.45%

+0.01%

2026-03-01

—

94.44%

—

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector	Exploitability	Impact	Score source
7.5	3.1	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:N) No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:N) Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged. Availability (A:N) Service keeps running; no real outage angle.	3.9	3.6	[email protected]
7.5	3.1	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:N) No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:N) Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged. Availability (A:N) Service keeps running; no real outage angle.	3.9	3.6	[email protected]
5.0	2.0	MEDIUM	`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N` Click to expand Access vector (AV:N) Can be exploited remotely over network reachability. Access complexity (AC:L) Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable. Authentication (AU:N) No authentication is required. Confidentiality impact (C:P) Partial confidentiality impact. Integrity impact (I:N) No integrity impact. Availability impact (A:N) No availability impact.	10.0	2.9	[email protected]

Base score

Version

Severity

Vector

Exploitability

Impact

Score source

7.5

3.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N): No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:N): Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:N): Service keeps running; no real outage angle.

3.9

3.6

[email protected]

7.5

3.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N): No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:N): Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:N): Service keeps running; no real outage angle.

3.9

3.6

[email protected]

5.0

2.0

MEDIUM

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N Click to expand

Access vector (AV:N): Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:L): Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable.
Authentication (AU:N): No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:P): Partial confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:N): No integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:N): No availability impact.

10.0

2.9

[email protected]

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-3452

Vendor	Product	Version	Raw CPE
cisco	adaptive_security_appliance_software	>= 9.6, < 9.6.4.42	cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software::::::::
cisco	adaptive_security_appliance_software	>= 9.8, < 9.8.4.20	cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software::::::::
cisco	adaptive_security_appliance_software	>= 9.9, < 9.9.2.74	cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software::::::::
cisco	adaptive_security_appliance_software	>= 9.10, < 9.10.1.42	cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software::::::::
cisco	adaptive_security_appliance_software	>= 9.12, < 9.12.3.12	cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software::::::::
cisco	adaptive_security_appliance_software	>= 9.13, < 9.13.1.10	cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software::::::::
cisco	adaptive_security_appliance_software	>= 9.14, < 9.14.1.10	cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software::::::::
cisco	firepower_threat_defense	>= 6.2.3, < 6.2.3.16	cpe:2.3:a:cisco:firepower_threat_defense::::::::
cisco	firepower_threat_defense	>= 6.3.0, < 6.3.0.6	cpe:2.3:a:cisco:firepower_threat_defense::::::::
cisco	firepower_threat_defense	>= 6.4.0, < 6.4.0.10	cpe:2.3:a:cisco:firepower_threat_defense::::::::
cisco	firepower_threat_defense	>= 6.5.0, < 6.5.0.5	cpe:2.3:a:cisco:firepower_threat_defense::::::::
cisco	firepower_threat_defense	>= 6.6.0, < 6.6.0.1	cpe:2.3:a:cisco:firepower_threat_defense::::::::

References for CVE-2020-3452

URL	Tags
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158646/Cisco-ASA-FTD-Remote-File-Disclosure.html	Third Party Advisory VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158647/Cisco-Adaptive-Security-Appliance-Software-9.11-Local-File-Inclusion.html	Exploit Third Party Advisory VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159523/Cisco-ASA-FTD-9.6.4.42-Path-Traversal.html	Exploit Third Party Advisory VDB Entry
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/160497/Cisco-ASA-9.14.1.10-FTD-6.6.0.1-Path-Traversal.html	Exploit Third Party Advisory VDB Entry
https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-asaftd-ro-path-KJuQhB86	Vendor Advisory
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-3452	US Government Resource

URL

CVE-2020-3452 | Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software and Firepower Threat Defense Software Web Services Read-Only Path Traversal Vulnerability

CISA KEV Record for CVE-2020-3452

Public exploit references (Exploit-DB) for CVE-2020-3452

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2020-3452

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2020-3452

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2020-3452

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-3452

References for CVE-2020-3452