CVE-2024-20359
Published: April 24, 2024
Official Description
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) contain a privilege escalation vulnerability that can allow local privilege escalation from Administrator to root.
CISA KEV Advisory
Cisco ASA and FTD Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) contain a privilege escalation vulnerability that can allow local privilege escalation from Administrator to root.
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Risk Analysis
This privilege escalation vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) allows a local administrator to escalate privileges to root. Despite a low EPSS score of 0.00220, its inclusion in the KEV catalog confirms active exploitation, making it a critical issue.
This vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild. Exploitation requires local administrative access to the affected Cisco device.
Cisco ASA and FTD users should apply the latest security updates to address this vulnerability. Implement the principle of least privilege for administrative accounts and monitor for unusual activity.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2024-20359 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
CISA has added CVE-2024-20359 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. U.S. federal agencies are required to patch this within the mandated timeframe, and all organizations should treat remediation as urgent.
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (2)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2024-20359 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
- !CISA KEV: Federal agencies must patch per BOD 22-01 timeline
- !Active exploitation confirmed — treat as P1