Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Software Geolocation Remote Access VPN Bypass Vulnerability

TL;DR 📌

A medium-severity vulnerability has been identified in the Geolocation-Based Remote Access VPN feature of Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Software. This flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass security policies, potentially granting unauthorized access to restricted networks. No workarounds are available, and software updates are necessary to mitigate the risk.

What happened 🕵️‍♂️

A vulnerability in Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software’s Geolocation-Based Remote Access (RA) VPN feature could enable an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass configured policies that control HTTP connections based on geographical location. This issue arises from incomplete URL parsing, allowing attackers to exploit it by sending crafted HTTP connections. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to networks that should otherwise be protected.

Affected products 🖥️

The vulnerability affects Cisco devices running Cisco Secure FTD Software Release 7.7.0 with Geolocation-Based RA VPN enabled. Other products, including Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software, are confirmed to be unaffected.

Fixed software 🔧

Upgrade to the first fixed release in your train (or later):

Workarounds 🧯

There are no workarounds available to mitigate this vulnerability.

Risk in context 🎯

With a CVSS score of 5.8, this vulnerability is classified as medium severity. While it does not require authentication and poses a risk of unauthorized access, the lack of available workarounds necessitates prompt action to update affected systems. Organizations should prioritize patching to maintain their security posture.

Fast facts ⚡

• Vulnerability: Geolocation Remote Access VPN Bypass
• CVSS Score: 5.8 (Medium)
• Exploitation: Unauthenticated access possible
• Workarounds: None available
• Fixed Software: Updates available; consult Cisco advisories

For leadership 🧭

This vulnerability poses a medium risk to our network security, with a CVSS score of 5.8. It allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass geographic restrictions on HTTP connections, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive areas of our network. Immediate remediation is required, as there are no workarounds available. We should aim to patch affected systems within the next 7 days to mitigate this risk.

• Clear Now: Assess and identify any devices running Cisco Secure FTD Software Release 7.7.0 with Geolocation-Based RA VPN enabled.
• Next: Schedule and implement software updates to address the vulnerability.
• Later: Monitor for any further advisories or updates from Cisco regarding this issue.

Taking these steps will help ensure our network remains secure against potential exploitation of this vulnerability.