---
title: "CVE-2024-20359: Cisco ASA and FTD Privilege Escalation Vulnerability"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2024-20359/
description: "CVE-2024-20359 (Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)): Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV). A vulnerability in a legacy…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2024-04-24
date_modified: 2025-10-21
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2024-20359"
kev: true
cvss: 6
epss: 0.19434
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2024-20359: Cisco ASA and FTD Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

**Signal:** Exploited: patch now if you run it. CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Yes, if you run Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD). CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2024-04-24, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild. US federal agencies must remediate by 2024-05-01 ; treat that as the outer limit, not the target.
- EPSS 19.4% , percentile 97: FIRST’s model estimates a 19.4% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 97% of all scored CVEs (very high). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs local access needed. Lower urgency for most teams unless an attacker could already run code on the machine.

## What it is

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.

## Affected products (CVE record)

- Cisco Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software: 9.8.1, 9.8.1.5, 9.8.1.7, 9.8.2, 9.8.2.8, 9.8.2.14, 9.8.2.15, 9.8.2.17, 9.8.2.20, 9.8.2.24, 9.8.2.26, 9.8.2.28
- Cisco Cisco Firepower Threat Defense Software: 6.2.3, 6.2.3.1, 6.2.3.2, 6.2.3.3, 6.2.3.4, 6.2.3.5, 6.2.3.6, 6.2.3.7, 6.2.3.8, 6.2.3.10, 6.2.3.11, 6.2.3.9

## Severity

- cisco CVSS 3.1: 6 `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: added 2024-04-24; federal due date 2024-05-01. Known ransomware use: Unknown.
- CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active , automatable no , technical impact partial .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 19.43% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 97.

## Sources

- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (sec.cloudapps.cisco.com)](https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-asaftd-persist-rce-FLsNXF4h)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2024-20359](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-20359)
- [NVD entry CVE-2024-20359](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20359)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entry](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-20359)
- [blog.talosintelligence.com](https://blog.talosintelligence.com/arcanedoor-new-espionage-focused-campaign-found-targeting-perimeter-network-devices/)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2024-20359/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt