CVE-2023-20269
Exploited in the wild. In CISA KEV since 2023‑09‑13. A vendor fix is available.
What to do
The vendor has published a fix. Version details are below where the sources state them.
- Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance SoftwareAffected: 9.8.1Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 9.8.1.5Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 9.8.1.7Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 9.8.2Upgrade to: not stated + 166 more branchesStated by: CVE record
- Cisco Firepower Threat Defense SoftwareAffected: 6.2.3Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 6.2.3.1Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 6.2.3.2Upgrade to: not statedAffected: 6.2.3.3Upgrade to: not stated + 72 more branchesStated by: CVE record
Versions as the sources state them. Full version matrix after sign-in
Coverage timeline
0 publishersAdded to CISA KEV catalog
Sourced from public security reporting — each date is when it was published, not when it happened. 1 further article named this CVE in wider roundups without reporting it as a distinct event.
What it is
From the CVE record
A vulnerability in the remote access VPN feature of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct a brute force attack in an attempt to identify valid username and password combinations or an authenticated, remote attacker to establish a clientless SSL VPN session with an unauthorized user. This vulnerability is due to improper separation of authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) between the remote access VPN feature and the HTTPS management and site-to-site VPN features. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by specifying a default connection profile/tunnel group while conducting a brute force attack or while establishing a clientless SSL VPN session using valid credentials. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to achieve one or both of the following: Identify valid credentials that could then be used to establish an unauthorized remote access VPN session. Establish a clientless SSL VPN session (only when running Cisco ASA Software Release 9.16 or earlier). Notes: Establishing a client-based remote access VPN tunnel is not possible as these default connection profiles/tunnel groups do not and cannot have an IP address pool configured. This vulnerability does not allow an attacker to bypass authentication. To successfully establish a remote access VPN session, valid credentials are required, including a valid second factor if multi-factor authentication (MFA) is configured. Cisco will release software updates that address this vulnerability. There are workarounds that address this vulnerability.
In plain language
No plain-language summary for this CVE yet.
Exploitation
Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.
- CISA KEV
Listed as exploited in the wild since 2023-09-13.
US federal agencies must remediate by 2023-10-04.
Known use in ransomware campaigns.
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions for group-lock and vpn-simultaneous-logins or discontinue use of the product for unsupported devices.
- Public exploits
0 sources with a proof of concept or module.
Exploit links, PoCs and Metasploit modules after sign-in- EPSS
25% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 98th percentile of scored CVEs.
Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.
- Attention now
Sustained, driven by wide press coverage.
Lifecycle
12 events over 1070 days, from the signal feeds we watch.
- Patch availablerecord updated
- Patch availablerecord updated
- OpenVAS check added
- EPSS band changelow → moderate
- Patch availablerecord updated
- Added to CISA KEVransomware campaign
Affected products
Technical detail
CVSS 3.1 vector
Open in the CVSS calculatorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N
Scored 5.0 by NVD.
How it is reached
- Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
- Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
- Privileges Required LowRequires basic user-level privileges
- User Interaction NoneNo user interaction needed — fully automated exploitation
Scope
- Scope ChangedThe exploit can affect other components (e.g. sandbox escape, host compromise from VM)
Impact if exploited
- Confidentiality NoneNo confidentiality impact
- Integrity LowData modification is possible but limited in scope or consequence
- Availability NoneNo availability impact
Weaknesses
ATT&CK techniques
Mapped from the weaknesses above (CWE to ATT&CK), not observed in attacks.
Sources
References in the record
Analysis on the cve.tools blog
In the news
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