CVE-2024-20359

Exp

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.

Published: 2024-04-24 Last update: 2025-10-28 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Analyzed，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2024-20359 is rated Critical Active Threat (87.8/100): CVSS Medium severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 16.86%, 97th percentile). CISA KEV confirms active exploitation (added 2024-04-24) affecting Cisco / Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD). a weakness (CWE-94) Unauthenticated remote administrative access may be possible. EPSS rose +16.73% over the last day, indicating growing attacker interest. The CISA remediation deadline has passed—treat as an emergency patch priority.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

CISA KEV Record for CVE-2024-20359

Name: Cisco ASA and FTD Privilege Escalation Vulnerability · CISA KEV detail

Exploit added: 2024-04-24

Action due: 2024-05-01

Required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Public exploit references (Exploit-DB) for CVE-2024-20359

EDB-ID Source Kind Published Link
— nvd_ref exploit_tag Exploit-DB ↗

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2024-20359

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-06-15 0.13% 16.86% +16.73%
2 2026-05-22 0.19% 0.13% -0.06%
3 2025-11-21 — 0.19% —

Full EPSS history (24 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2024-20359

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
6.0 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:L)
They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by.
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:H)
They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
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:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:N)
Service keeps running; no real outage angle.
 0.8 5.2 [email protected]
6.0 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:L)
They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by.
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:H)
They need powerful rights—admin, root, or similar—before this pays off.
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:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:N)
Service keeps running; no real outage angle.
 0.8 5.2 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2024-20359

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2024-20359

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.1.5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.1.7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.1.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.14 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.15 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.17 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.20 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.24 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.26 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.28 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.28:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.33 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.35 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.35:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.2.38 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.2.38:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.3.8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.3.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.3.11 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.3.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.3.14 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.3.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.3.16 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.3.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.3.18 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.3.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.3.21 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.3.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.3.26 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.3.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.3.29 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.3.29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.10 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.12 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.15 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.17 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.20 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.22 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.25 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.25:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.26 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.29 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.32 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.33 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.34 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.35 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.35:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.39 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.39:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.40 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.40:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.41 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.41:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.43 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.43:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.44 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.44:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.45 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.45:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.46 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.46:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.8.4.48 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.8.4.48:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.1.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.1.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.2.1 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.2.4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.2.5 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.2.9 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.2.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.3 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.3.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.3.7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.3.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.3.9 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.3.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.3.12 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.3.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.2 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.4 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.7 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.8 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.10 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.13 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.18 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.24 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.26 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.29 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.30 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.35 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.35:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.37 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.37:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.38 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.38:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.39 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.39:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.40 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.40:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cisco adaptive_security_appliance_software 9.12.4.41 cpe:2.3:o:cisco:adaptive_security_appliance_software:9.12.4.41:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2024-20359

cvelogic Threat Intelligence