Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software: Double Free
CVE-2025-20134 is a high-severity double free vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software from Cisco, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.6 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software versions: 9.12.4.39; 9.12.4.40; 9.14.4.6, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.43% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco | Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software | 9.12.4.39; 9.12.4.40; 9.14.4.6; 9.14.4.7; 9.12.4.41; 9.12.4.47; 9.14.4.12; 9.12.4.48; and 16 more ranges | Not stated |
| Cisco | Cisco Firepower Threat Defense Software | 6.6.5.2; 6.4.0.15; 6.6.7; 6.4.0.16; 6.6.7.1; 6.4.0.17; 6.6.7.2; 6.4.0.18 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA (cisco.com).
Official description
A vulnerability in the certificate processing of Cisco Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the device to reload unexpectedly, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. This vulnerability is due to improper parsing of SSL/TLS certificates. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted DNS packets that match a static Network Address Translation (NAT) rule with DNS inspection enabled through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the device to reload, resulting in a DoS condition.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Double Free
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
- Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software
- 9.0 Critical severity
- 8.6 High severity
- 8.6 High severity
- 8.5 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 8.6 High severity
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 7.2 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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