CVEs / CVE-2020-3452

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

• Known exploited in the CISA KEV catalog since 3 Nov 2021
• high 7.5 CVSS 3.1 (NVD)
• EPSS 99.9% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99% of CVEs (30 Oct 2026)
• Last changed at its sources 11 Aug 2026

Summary

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 services file system on the targeted device.

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.

Affected and fixed versions

Exploitation

Severity

References

• CVE-2020-3452 on NVD
• CVE-2020-3452 in the CISA KEV catalog
• 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