Cisco AnyConnect SSL VPN Flaw Let Remote Attacker Launch DoS Attack

A vulnerability of medium severity, identified as CVE-2023-20042, with a CVSS score of 6.8, was found in the AnyConnect SSL VPN feature of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defence (FTD) Software. 

This vulnerability could potentially enable an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition.

Software patches from Cisco have been made available to fix this issue. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

Details of the Cisco AnyConnect SSL VPN Flaw

An implementation issue in the SSL/TLS session handling procedure, which could prevent the release of a session handler under certain circumstances, is the cause of the vulnerability discovered.

An attacker might use this vulnerability to increase the likelihood of session handler leaks by sending crafted SSL/TLS traffic to a compromised device.

“A successful exploit could allow the attacker to eventually deplete the available session handler pool, preventing new sessions from being established and causing a DoS condition,” Cisco said in its advisory.

Affected Products

Cisco stated that this flaw impacted Cisco ASA and FTD software that had been configured for AnyConnect SSL/TLS VPN connections.

Indicators of Compromise

According to Cisco, the command shows SSL objects may be used to identify the presence of leaking session handlers. A high and rising number in the SSL: active counter suggests that sessions are being leaked.

As stated in the advisory, Cisco recommends that affected users apply software updates as early as possible. Cisco confirmed that there are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

Protect vulnerabilities using Patch Manager Plus to patch over 850 third-party applications quickly. Try a Free Trial to ensure 100% security.

Balaji

BALAJI is an Ex-Security Researcher (Threat Research Labs) at Comodo Cybersecurity. Editor-in-Chief & Co-Founder - Cyber Security News & GBHackers On Security.

Recent Posts

Threat Actors Exploit Google Docs And Weebly Services For Malware Attacks

Phishing attackers used Google Docs to deliver malicious links, bypassing security measures and redirecting victims…

12 hours ago

Python NodeStealer: Targeting Facebook Business Accounts to Harvest Login Credentials

The Python-based NodeStealer, a sophisticated info-stealer, has evolved to target new information and employ advanced…

12 hours ago

XSS Vulnerability in Bing.com Let Attackers Send Crafted Malicious Requests

A significant XSS vulnerability was recently uncovered in Microsoft’s Bing.com, potentially allowing attackers to execute…

15 hours ago

Meta Removed 2 Million Account Linked to Malicious Activities

 Meta has announced the removal of over 2 million accounts connected to malicious activities, including…

18 hours ago

Veritas Enterprise Vault Vulnerabilities Lets Attackers Execute Arbitrary Code Remotely

Critical security vulnerability has been identified in Veritas Enterprise Vault, a widely-used archiving and content…

19 hours ago

7-Zip RCE Vulnerability Let Attackers Execute Remote Code

A critical security vulnerability has been disclosed in the popular file archiving tool 7-Zip, allowing…

19 hours ago