CVE-2022-20829
Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager and Adaptive Security Appliance Software Client-side Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the packaging of Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) images and the validation of those images by Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with administrative privileges to upload an ASDM image that contains malicious code to a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of the authenticity of an ASDM image during its installation on a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a crafted ASDM image on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software and then waiting for a targeted user to access that device using ASDM. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the machine of the targeted user with the privileges of that user on that machine. Notes: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have administrative privileges on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software. Potential targets are limited to users who manage the same device that is running Cisco ASA Software using ASDM. Cisco has released and will release software updates that address this vulnerability.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
9.1
Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager and Adaptive Security Appliance Software Client-side Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the packaging of Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) images and the validation of those images by Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with administrative privileges to upload an ASDM image that contains malicious code to a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of the authenticity of an ASDM image during its installation on a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a crafted ASDM image on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software and then waiting for a targeted user to access that device using ASDM. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the machine of the targeted user with the privileges of that user on that machine. Notes: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have administrative privileges on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software. Potential targets are limited to users who manage the same device that is running Cisco ASA Software using ASDM. Cisco has released and will release software updates that address this vulnerability.
- Record
CVE-2022-20829- CVSS 3.1
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-345
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-26079
9.1
A vulnerability in the packaging of Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) images and the validation of those images by Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with administrative privileges to upload an ASDM image that contains malicious code to a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of the authenticity of an ASDM image during its installation on a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a crafted ASDM image on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software and then waiting for a targeted user to access that device using ASDM. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the machine of the targeted user with the privileges of that user on that machine. Notes: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have administrative privileges on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software. Potential targets are limited to users who manage the same device that is running Cisco ASA Software using ASDM. Cisco has released and will release software updates that address this vulnerability.
- Record
EUVD-2022-26079- CVSS 3.1
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-qq3x-ppcw-6fmq
7.2
A vulnerability in the packaging of Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) images and the...
A vulnerability in the packaging of Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) images and the validation of those images by Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with administrative privileges to upload an ASDM image that contains malicious code to a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of the authenticity of an ASDM image during its installation on a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a crafted ASDM image on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software and then waiting for a targeted user to access that device using ASDM. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the machine of the targeted user with the privileges of that user on that machine. Notes: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have administrative privileges on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software. Potential targets are limited to users who manage the same device that is running Cisco ASA Software using ASDM. Cisco has released and will release software updates that address this vulnerability.
- Record
GHSA-qq3x-ppcw-6fmq- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-345
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
9.1
A vulnerability in the packaging of Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) images and the validation of those images by Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker with administrative privileges to upload an ASDM image that contains malicious code to a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of the authenticity of an ASDM image during its installation on a device that is running Cisco ASA Software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by installing a crafted ASDM image on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software and then waiting for a targeted user to access that device using ASDM. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the machine of the targeted user with the privileges of that user on that machine. Notes: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have administrative privileges on the device that is running Cisco ASA Software. Potential targets are limited to users who manage the same device that is running Cisco ASA Software using ASDM. Cisco has released and will release software updates that address this vulnerability.
- Record
CVE-2022-20829- CVSS 3.1
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 9.0 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-345
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | jbaines-r7/theway | 2022-04-28 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2022-20829 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.1) in Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager, published June 24, 2022. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 3.51%, the 89th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-asa-asdm-sig-NPKvwDjm
rapid7.com/blog/post/2022/08/11/rapid7-discovered-vulnerabilities-in-cisco-asa-asdm-and-firepower-services-software
github.com/jbaines-r7/theway
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-20829
github.com/advisories/GHSA-qq3x-ppcw-6fmq