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What is CVE-2018-0229?A medium-severity flaw in Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client, explained.

Medium severity2 affected products
The short answer

CVE-2018-0229 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.5) in Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client from Cisco, published on 19 April 2018. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 3.4%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Check if it affects you →How to fix it

Published 19 April 2018. Record last updated 15 August 2023. We keep this page's data up to date.

What it does

What is CVE-2018-0229? In plain terms.

It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, but a person has to take an action first. If it works, the attacker can read data.

The official description

A vulnerability in the implementation of Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Desktop Platforms, Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to establish an authenticated AnyConnect session through an affected device running ASA or FTD Software. The authentication would need to be done by an unsuspecting third party, aka Session Fixation. The vulnerability exists because there is no mechanism for the ASA or FTD Software to detect that the authentication request originates from the AnyConnect client directly. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by persuading a user to click a crafted link and authenticating using the company's Identity Provider (IdP). A successful exploit could allow the attacker to hijack a valid authentication token and use that to establish an authenticated AnyConnect session through an affected device running ASA or FTD Software. This vulnerability affects the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, and ASA Software and FTD Software configured for SAML 2.0-based SSO for AnyConnect Remote Access VPN that is running on the following Cisco products: 3000 Series Industrial Security Appliances (ISA), ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances, ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls, ASA Services Module for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches and Cisco 7600 Series Routers, Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv), Firepower 2100 Series Security Appliance, Firepower 4100 Series Security Appliance, Firepower 9300 ASA Security Module, FTD Virtual (FTDv). Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg65072, CSCvh87448.

What kind of flaw is it?

  • CWE-384Session Fixation
CVSS 3.0 scoreMedium · 6.5

How an attack on it works

Read straight from its severity rating, translated out of the shorthand.

  • Where an attacker can beAnywhere on the internet
  • How hard it is to pull offEasy: no special conditions
  • Login needed firstNo login needed
  • Does someone have to clickYes, a person has to take an action
  • What an attacker getsCan read data

Severity vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Exploitation

Is CVE-2018-0229 being exploited? Not that we know of.

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 3.4%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Known to be exploitedNoNot on the list of exploited flaws today
Chance of use in the next 30 days3.4%Its EPSS score, from the latest forecast

Timeline

  1. Published
  2. Record last updated
How Precursor Intelligence ranks it
26out of 100Low

CVE-2018-0229 scores 26. Action: Monitor.

We keep the score of every published flaw up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, and evidence that criminals are actually using it counts most. In order:

  • Evidence it is being exploitedBiggest factor
  • How severe it isStrong factor
  • How widely exposed it isSmaller factor
  • Threat activity around itSmaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score.

When CVE-2018-0229 matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

See your own ranked list →
Affected products

Who is affected by CVE-2018-0229? 2 products.

The published record lists 2 products from 1 vendor. If you run one of these, check your version, then go to the fix below.

Remediation

How do I fix CVE-2018-0229? Four steps.

  1. Check whether you run itCompare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
  2. Apply the vendor’s fixInstall the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisory first in the list.
  3. If you can’t patch todayFollow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
  4. Keep an eye on itTrack the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

References

4 links
Precursor Intelligence

Does CVE-2018-0229 affect you? We'll keep checking.

Looking flaws up one at a time doesn't scale. Tell us what you run once, and we tell you which flaws matter to you, in what order, and keep watching for new ones.

  1. Tell us what you runPick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
  2. We match it to every flawOver 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
  3. Ranked by real-world riskA 0 to 100 score, led by evidence criminals are using it.
  4. Told as soon as we knowAn alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.
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FAQ

Common questions, answered plainly.

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CVE-2018-0229 is a medium-severity flaw in Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client from Cisco, published on 19 April 2018. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, but a person has to take an action first. If it works, the attacker can read data.

It scores 6.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2018-0229 is 26 out of 100, which is Low. Its action is "Monitor". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 3.4%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

For Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client from Cisco: 4.6(200). The record lists 2 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

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