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CVE-2025-20333 KEVPublic exploit Critical · 9.9 EPSS 71.2%

Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Buffer Overflow…

Cisco · Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance and Secure Firewall Threat Defense

Summary

A buffer overflow in the VPN web server of Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software, caused by improper validation of user-supplied input in HTTP(S) requests. An attacker with valid VPN user credentials who can reach the device over the network can send crafted HTTP requests to execute arbitrary code as root, which could lead to complete compromise of the device, with no user interaction required.

Official description · NVD

A vulnerability in the VPN web server of Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper validation of user-supplied input in HTTP(S) requests. An attacker with valid VPN user credentials could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code as root, possibly resulting in the complete compromise of the affected device.

Breakdown
79.8 / 100
Exploited
Yes, in CISA KEV
Reports
5
Tactics
3/15

How an attack unfolds

Based on mappings. Select a step to see the evidence.
  1. How attackers get in

  2. What they do

First seen exploited the day it was disclosed. Public exploit code (PoC-in-GitHub) appeared 8 months after disclosure.

  1. First dated threat reportblog.talosintelligence.com6 yrs before
  2. DisclosedFirst seen exploitedVulnCheck KEV evidenceAdded to CISA KEVEU database agreesday 0
  3. Public exploit codePoC-in-GitHub+8 mo

CISA KEV listing is when exploitation was confirmed, not necessarily the first attack.

techniques

2 , grouped by in kill-chain order, 2 cited passages 2

Initial AccessTA0001

External Remote Services T1133 Medium also Persistence
AI mapping from the description · how it is exploited

VPN web server remote access with valid credentials

could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code
From the official description (NVD) Original (opens in a new tab) ↗

ExecutionTA0002

Command and Scripting Interpreter T1059 Medium
AI mapping from the description · primary impact

arbitrary code execution as root

could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code as root
From the official description (NVD) Original (opens in a new tab) ↗

Detection

1 rule for this CVE · 115 general rules for its techniques

Rules for this CVE

1 that reference CVE-2025-20333 directly.

Sigma rules © SigmaHQ, Detection Rule License 1.1; linked, not reproduced.

What security researchers reported

Named in 5 threat reports
5 reportsCisco Talos4CiscoApr 2019 – Apr 2024 · 1 undated

Reports are matched by finding the exact id CVE-2025-20333 in their text; nobody has reviewed the match. One passage is shown per report, at most 320 characters, linked to the original.

Show all 5 reportsShow fewer

Also mentioned in 50 community threat pulses (AlienVault OTX)

Weaker evidence

Pulses are indicator collections that anyone can publish. A mention is not confirmation of exploitation.

References

3 links, grouped by NVD tag
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