# CVE-2024-20481: Cisco ASA and FTD Denial-of-Service Vulnerability

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-20481-cisco-asa-and-ftd-denial-of-service-vulnerability  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2024-10-24. Updated: 2026-05-09  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2024-20481 · Severity: critical · CVSS 5.8 · Exploited in the wild · Published 2024-10-24

A resource exhaustion vulnerability in the Remote Access VPN (RAVPN) service of Cisco ASA and FTD software allows unauthenticated remote attackers to cause a denial-of-service. Attackers can exploit this by sending a large volume of VPN authentication requests, potentially requiring a device reload to restore service.

Technologies: [Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/adaptive-security-appliance-asa), [Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/firepower-threat-defense-ftd). Vendors: [Cisco](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/cisco).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2024-20481 exploited in the wild?** Yes. CVE-2024-20481 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 24 October 2024. Treat it as urgent.

**How severe is CVE-2024-20481?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 5.8, published 24 October 2024.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software; Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2024-20481?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2024-20481 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-2024-20481?** Check whether you run Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) or Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD). Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Affected products

- Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software
- Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software

## Timeline

- 2024-10-24: disclosed
- 2024-10-24: kev added: Added to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
- 2024-10-24: exploited: Reported as exploited in the wild in the advisory and CISA KEV catalog.

## Related threats

- [Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2014-2120-cisco-adaptive-security-appliance-asa-cross-site-scripting-xss)
- [Cisco ASA and FTD Denial of Service Vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-20353-cisco-asa-and-ftd-denial-of-service-vulnerability)
- [Cisco ASA and FTD Privilege Escalation Vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-20359-cisco-asa-and-ftd-privilege-escalation-vulnerability)
- [SafePay ransomware campaign](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2020-3259-cisco-asa-and-ftd-information-disclosure-vulnerability)
- [Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) SNMP Buffer Overflow Vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2016-6366-cisco-adaptive-security-appliance-asa-snmp-buffer-overflow)