CVE-2018-0453: A vulnerability in the Sourcefire tunnel control channel protocol in Cisco Firepower System Software running on Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) s...

Description

A vulnerability in the Sourcefire tunnel control channel protocol in Cisco Firepower System Software running on Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) sensors could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute specific CLI commands with root privileges on the Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC), or through Cisco FMC on other Firepower sensors and devices that are controlled by the same Cisco FMC. To send the commands, the attacker must have root privileges for at least one affected sensor or the Cisco FMC. The vulnerability exists because the affected software performs insufficient checks for certain CLI commands, if the commands are executed via a Sourcefire tunnel connection. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating with root privileges to a Firepower sensor or Cisco FMC, and then sending specific CLI commands to the Cisco FMC or through the Cisco FMC to another Firepower sensor via the Sourcefire tunnel connection. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to modify device configurations or delete files on the device that is running Cisco FMC Software or on any Firepower device that is managed by Cisco FMC.

Metrics

CVSS 3.0

8.2/10

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.41%

33.9th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Cisco	Firepower Threat Defense	5.4.0
Cisco	Firepower Threat Defense	6.0.0
Cisco	Firepower Threat Defense	6.0.1
Cisco	Firepower Threat Defense	6.1.0
Cisco	Firepower Threat Defense	6.2.0
Cisco	Firepower Threat Defense	6.2.1
Cisco	Firepower Threat Defense	6.2.2

References

Timeline

Published: Oct 5, 2018
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-0453?

A vulnerability in the Sourcefire tunnel control channel protocol in Cisco Firepower System Software running on Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) sensors could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute specific CLI commands with root privileges on the Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC), or through Cisco FMC on other Firepower sensors and devices that are controlled by the same Cisco FMC. To send the commands, the attacker must have root privileges for at least one affected sensor or the Cisco FMC. The vulnerability exists because the affected software performs insufficient checks for certain CLI commands, if the commands are executed via a Sourcefire tunnel connection. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by authenticating with root privileges to a Firepower sensor or Cisco FMC, and then sending specific CLI commands to the Cisco FMC or through the Cisco FMC to another Firepower sensor via the Sourcefire tunnel connection. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to modify device configurations or delete files on the device that is running Cisco FMC Software or on any Firepower device that is managed by Cisco FMC.

How severe is CVE-2018-0453?

CVE-2018-0453 has a CVSS score of 8.2/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.41% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2018-0453?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

How Strix Helps

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