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CVE-2020-3436

Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software and Firepower Threat Defense Software Web Services File Upload Denial of Service Vulnerability

8.6 High

A vulnerability in the web services interface of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary-sized files to specific folders on an affected device, which could lead to an unexpected device reload. The vulnerability exists because the affected software does not efficiently handle the writing of large files to specific folders on the local file system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading files to those specific folders. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to write a file that triggers a watchdog timeout, which would cause the device to unexpectedly reload, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

1.94%Up 1.2 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 8.6

Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Software and Firepower Threat Defense Software Web Services File Upload Denial of Service Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the web services interface of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary-sized files to specific folders on an affected device, which could lead to an unexpected device reload. The vulnerability exists because the affected software does not efficiently handle the writing of large files to specific folders on the local file system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading files to those specific folders. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to write a file that triggers a watchdog timeout, which would cause the device to unexpectedly reload, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Record
CVE-2020-3436
CVSS 3.0
8.6 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-434
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-24707 8.6

A vulnerability in the web services interface of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary-sized files to specific folders on an affected device, which could lead to an unexpected device reload. The vulnerability exists because the affected software does not efficiently handle the writing of large files to specific folders on the local file system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading files to those specific folders. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to write a file that triggers a watchdog timeout, which would cause the device to unexpectedly reload, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Record
EUVD-2020-24707
CVSS 3.0
8.6 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-w8jp-qw34-jrrq 8.6

A vulnerability in the web services interface of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and...

A vulnerability in the web services interface of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary-sized files to specific folders on an affected device, which could lead to an unexpected device reload. The vulnerability exists because the affected software does not efficiently handle the writing of large files to specific folders on the local file system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading files to those specific folders. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to write a file that triggers a watchdog timeout, which would cause the device to unexpectedly reload, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Record
GHSA-w8jp-qw34-jrrq
CVSS 3.1
8.6 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness
CWE-434
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 8.6

A vulnerability in the web services interface of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to upload arbitrary-sized files to specific folders on an affected device, which could lead to an unexpected device reload. The vulnerability exists because the affected software does not efficiently handle the writing of large files to specific folders on the local file system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by uploading files to those specific folders. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to write a file that triggers a watchdog timeout, which would cause the device to unexpectedly reload, causing a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Record
CVE-2020-3436
CVSS 3.1
8.6 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 3.0
8.6 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.0
7.8 HighAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C
Weakness
CWE-434
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
facts
aliases, publishedEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-3436 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.6) in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance, published October 21, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.94%, the 80th percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

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