CVE-2020-3572

CVE-2020-3572 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance 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-401.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in the SSL/TLS session handler of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to a memory leak when closing SSL/TLS connections in a specific state. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by establishing several SSL/TLS sessions and ensuring they are closed under certain conditions. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to exhaust memory resources in the affected device, which would prevent it from processing new SSL/TLS connections, resulting in a DoS. Manual intervention is required to recover an affected device.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-3572?
A vulnerability in the SSL/TLS session handler of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software and Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to a memory leak when closing SSL/TLS connections in a specific state. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by establishing several SSL/TLS sessions and ensuring they are closed under certain conditions. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to exhaust memory resources in the affected device, which would prevent it from processing new SSL/TLS connections, resulting in a DoS. Manual intervention is required to recover an affected device.
How severe is CVE-2020-3572?
CVE-2020-3572 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-2020-3572 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (75th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-3572?
CVE-2020-3572 primarily affects Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-3572?
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-2020-3572 published?
CVE-2020-3572 was published on 2020-10-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

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