CVE-2018-0233

CVE-2018-0233 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-400.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) packet reassembly functionality of the detection engine in Cisco Firepower System Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the detection engine to consume excessive system memory on an affected device, which could cause a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to the affected software improperly handling changes to SSL connection states. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted SSL connections through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the detection engine to consume excessive system memory on the affected device, which could cause a DoS condition. The device may need to be reloaded manually to recover from this condition. This vulnerability affects Cisco Firepower System Software Releases 6.0.0 and later, running on any of the following Cisco products: Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) 5500-X Series Firewalls with FirePOWER Services, Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls, Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Networks, 7000 Series Appliances, Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Networks, 8000 Series Appliances, Firepower 4100 Series Appliances, FirePOWER 7000 Series Appliances, FirePOWER 8000 Series Appliances, Firepower 9300 Series Security Appliances, Firepower Threat Defense for Integrated Services Routers (ISRs), Firepower Threat Defense Virtual for VMware, Industrial Security Appliance 3000, Sourcefire 3D System Appliances. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCve23031.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-0233?
A vulnerability in the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) packet reassembly functionality of the detection engine in Cisco Firepower System Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause the detection engine to consume excessive system memory on an affected device, which could cause a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability is due to the affected software improperly handling changes to SSL connection states. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted SSL connections through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the detection engine to consume excessive system memory on the affected device, which could cause a DoS condition. The device may need to be reloaded manually to recover from this condition. This vulnerability affects Cisco Firepower System Software Releases 6.0.0 and later, running on any of the following Cisco products: Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) 5500-X Series Firewalls with FirePOWER Services, Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls, Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Networks, 7000 Series Appliances, Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Networks, 8000 Series Appliances, Firepower 4100 Series Appliances, FirePOWER 7000 Series Appliances, FirePOWER 8000 Series Appliances, Firepower 9300 Series Security Appliances, Firepower Threat Defense for Integrated Services Routers (ISRs), Firepower Threat Defense Virtual for VMware, Industrial Security Appliance 3000, Sourcefire 3D System Appliances. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCve23031.
How severe is CVE-2018-0233?
CVE-2018-0233 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-0233 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (83rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-0233?
CVE-2018-0233 primarily affects Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-0233?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2018-0233 published?
CVE-2018-0233 was published on 2018-04-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (5)

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