# What is CVE-2024-20359? > CVE-2024-20359 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.0) in Adaptive Security Appliance Software from Cisco, published on 24 April 2024. It is on the list of flaws known to be exploited, so criminals are already using it. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 19%. If you run an affected version, patch it first. Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2024-20359 ## At a glance - **Verdict:** Fix this now. Attackers are using this flaw today. If you run an affected version, it goes to the top of your list. - **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 75 out of 100 (High); action: Emergency patch. Kept up to date as the evidence changes. - **Severity:** Medium (CVSS 6.0 out of 10) - **Known to be exploited:** Yes, it is on the government list of flaws known to be exploited - **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 19% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast) - **Published:** 24 April 2024 - **Record last updated:** 11 August 2026 - **Main product:** Adaptive Security Appliance Software from Cisco - **Affected products:** 2 ## What is CVE-2024-20359? In plain terms An attacker has to be already on the device with an administrator account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data and change data. ### The official description 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. ### What kind of flaw is it? - CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') ### How an attack on it works - Where an attacker can be: Already on the device - How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions - Login needed first: An administrator account - Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything - What an attacker gets: Can read data and change data Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N` ## Is CVE-2024-20359 being exploited? Yes Attackers are already using it. It is on the government list of flaws known to be exploited, and the latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 19%. Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 19%, 19%, 19%, 19%, 19%, 19%, 19%. ### Timeline - 24 April 2024: Published - 16 June 2026: Exploit likelihood jumped - 11 August 2026: Record last updated ### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it CVE-2024-20359 scores **75 out of 100 (High)**, with the action "Emergency patch". Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less: - Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor - How severe it is: strong factor - How widely exposed it is: smaller factor - Threat activity around it: smaller factor 85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it. ## Who is affected by CVE-2024-20359? The published record lists 2 products. - [Adaptive Security Appliance Software](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/adaptive_security_appliance_software) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Operating system): 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, 9.8.2.33, 9.8.2.35, 9.8.2.38, 9.8.3, 9.8.3.8, 9.8.3.11, 9.8.3.14, 9.8.3.16, 9.8.3.18, 9.8.3.21, 9.8.3.26, 9.8.3.29, 9.8.4, 9.8.4.3, 9.8.4.7, 9.8.4.8, 9.8.4.10, 9.8.4.12, 9.8.4.15, 9.8.4.17, 9.8.4.20, 9.8.4.22, 9.8.4.25, 9.8.4.26, 9.8.4.29, 9.8.4.32, 9.8.4.33, 9.8.4.34 and 147 more - [Secure Firewall Threat Defense](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/cisco/secure_firewall_threat_defense) by [Cisco](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/cisco) (Application): 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, 6.2.3.9, 6.2.3.10, 6.2.3.11, 6.2.3.12, 6.2.3.13, 6.2.3.14, 6.2.3.15, 6.2.3.16, 6.2.3.17, 6.2.3.18, 6.4.0, 6.4.0.1, 6.4.0.2, 6.4.0.3, 6.4.0.4, 6.4.0.5, 6.4.0.6, 6.4.0.7, 6.4.0.8, 6.4.0.9, 6.4.0.10, 6.4.0.11, 6.4.0.12, 6.4.0.13, 6.4.0.14, 6.4.0.15, 6.4.0.16, 6.4.0.17, 6.6.0, 6.6.0.1, 6.6.1 and 40 more ## How do I fix CVE-2024-20359? 1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare 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 fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisory first in the list. 3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in. 4. **Check it wasn’t used before you patched.** Because criminals are already using this flaw, look for signs of a break-in on affected systems using the vendor’s guidance. ### References - [sec.cloudapps.cisco.com](https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-asaftd-persist-rce-FLsNXF4h) (Vendor advisory) - [blog.talosintelligence.com](https://blog.talosintelligence.com/arcanedoor-new-espionage-focused-campaign-found-targeting-perimeter-network-devices/) (Exploit, Third-party advisory) - [cisa.gov](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-20359) (Government resource) ## Questions ### What is CVE-2024-20359? CVE-2024-20359 is a medium-severity flaw in Adaptive Security Appliance Software from Cisco, published on 24 April 2024. An attacker has to be already on the device with an administrator account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data and change data. ### How serious is CVE-2024-20359? It scores 6.0 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2024-20359 is 75 out of 100, which is High. Its action is "Emergency patch". Attackers are using this flaw today. If you run an affected version, it goes to the top of your list. ### Is CVE-2024-20359 being exploited? Attackers are already using it. It is on the government list of flaws known to be exploited, and the latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 19%. ### Which versions does CVE-2024-20359 affect? For Adaptive Security Appliance Software from Cisco: 9.8.1, 9.8.1.5, 9.8.1.7, 9.8.2, 9.8.2.8, 9.8.2.14 and 181 more. The record lists 2 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page. ### How do I fix CVE-2024-20359? 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. Because criminals are already using it, also check affected systems for signs of a break-in. ## Does CVE-2024-20359 affect you? Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you: - **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website. - **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list. - **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it. - **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools. 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