CVE-2025-20301 Overview
CVE-2025-20301 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center (FMC) Software. An authenticated, low-privileged, remote attacker can retrieve troubleshoot files belonging to a different domain managed on the same FMC instance. Successful exploitation exposes sensitive operational data contained within those files, undermining the multi-domain isolation model that customers rely on to segregate tenants and business units.
Critical Impact
A low-privileged user in one domain can access troubleshoot files from other domains on the same Cisco Secure FMC instance, exposing sensitive configuration, diagnostic, and environment information.
Affected Products
- Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center 6.2.3 through 6.2.3.18
- Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center 6.4.0 through 6.6.7.2
- Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center 7.0.0 through 7.6.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-08-14 - CVE-2025-20301 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in the NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-20301
Vulnerability Analysis
Cisco Secure FMC supports multi-domain management, allowing administrators to segment device management, policies, and users across logical domains. The vulnerability breaks that boundary for a specific artifact type: troubleshoot files. Troubleshoot bundles generated by FMC contain diagnostic data, configuration snapshots, logs, and internal system state used to assist Cisco TAC in resolving issues. Because these files can reveal detailed environment information, cross-domain exposure represents a meaningful confidentiality breach.
The issue is categorized as Missing Authorization [CWE-862]. Authentication is enforced, but the interface does not verify that the requesting user's domain matches the domain that owns the requested troubleshoot file. Exploitation requires only valid low-privileged credentials on the FMC appliance.
Root Cause
The web-based management interface fails to perform an authorization check tying the requesting user's active domain to the troubleshoot resource being accessed. Object ownership validation is missing at the request handler layer, so a direct request referencing another domain's troubleshoot file succeeds without denial.
Attack Vector
An attacker with valid credentials to any domain on a multi-domain FMC instance authenticates to the web interface and issues a direct request for a troubleshoot file that belongs to a different domain. Because the identifier controls file selection and no cross-check is performed against the requester's domain scope, the file is returned. No user interaction and no elevated privileges are needed.
No verified public exploit code is available. See the Cisco Security Advisory for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-20301
Indicators of Compromise
- Web server access log entries showing troubleshoot file download requests from user accounts whose active domain does not match the file's originating domain.
- Repeated enumeration-style requests targeting troubleshoot file identifiers or download endpoints from a single authenticated session.
- Unexpected troubleshoot file access outside of scheduled TAC engagements or administrator activity windows.
Detection Strategies
- Correlate FMC audit records of troubleshoot file generation and retrieval against the requesting user's assigned domain to flag mismatches.
- Baseline normal troubleshoot download activity per user and alert on volume or path deviations.
- Ingest FMC web interface logs into a centralized analytics platform and build rules for cross-domain access attempts.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward FMC audit and web access logs to a SIEM and retain them long enough to support retrospective hunts.
- Alert on any low-privileged account requesting administrative or diagnostic artifacts.
- Review domain-to-user mappings periodically to ensure least privilege and detect stale or over-scoped accounts.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-20301
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Cisco Secure FMC to a fixed release identified in the Cisco Security Advisory.
- Inventory all FMC accounts and remove or reduce low-privileged users that do not require web interface access.
- Rotate credentials, API tokens, and any secrets that may have been present in previously generated troubleshoot files.
Patch Information
Cisco has released fixed software addressing this authorization bypass. Refer to the Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-fmc-authz-bypass-M7xhnAu for the specific fixed versions applicable to each affected 6.x, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.6 release train. There are no vendor-published workarounds; upgrading is the remediation path.
Workarounds
- Restrict network access to the FMC web management interface to trusted management networks and jump hosts.
- Enforce strong authentication and multi-factor authentication for all FMC accounts to reduce the pool of usable low-privileged credentials.
- Purge existing troubleshoot files from the FMC after review and limit generation of new bundles to as-needed TAC cases.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
