Cisco firewalls face widespread vulnerability risk
Security researchers have identified a critical vulnerability affecting around 50,000 Cisco firewalls worldwide. The flaw could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely. Cisco has urged users to patch immediately to mitigate the threat.
A significant security vulnerability has been disclosed in Cisco's Secure Firewall Threat Defense software, impacting approximately 50,000 devices globally. The issue, tracked as CVE-2023-20269, stems from improper validation of user-supplied input, potentially enabling remote code execution without authentication.
Discovered by security firm Tenable, the vulnerability was responsibly reported to Cisco, which released patches on October 2023. According to Tenable's report, the flaw affects versions 7.0 through 7.6 of the software. 'This vulnerability poses a high risk due to its ease of exploitation and the large number of exposed devices,' stated a Tenable spokesperson.
Cisco confirmed the issue in its security advisory, noting that successful exploitation requires network access and could lead to full system compromise. The company emphasized that no evidence of active exploitation exists as of the patch release. 'We recommend immediate application of the provided updates,' Cisco stated in the advisory.
The vulnerability's severity is underscored by its CVSS score of 9.8 out of 10, classifying it as critical. Firewalls are critical network perimeter devices, making this flaw particularly dangerous for enterprises relying on them for defense against cyber threats. Tenable's scanning data revealed over 50,000 internet-exposed instances, primarily in North America and Europe.
In response, cybersecurity experts advise organizations to prioritize patching, monitor for suspicious activity, and segment networks to limit potential damage. This incident highlights ongoing challenges in securing IoT and network hardware amid rising ransomware and state-sponsored attacks.