Table Of Contents
Cisco ASA 5500 Series Release Notes Version 8.0(3)
Cisco ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliance
Cisco Intrusion Prevention System
Operating System and Browser Requirements
Determining the Software Version
Upgrading to a New Software Version
Upgrading to Version 8.0 for Portal Customization and URL Lists
Downgrading to Version 7.2(x) Software
Installing or Upgrading Cisco Secure Desktop
AnyConnect RSA SoftID API Integration
ASA Compatible with EIGRP Version 3
Resolved Caveats - Version 8.0(3)
Obtaining Documentation, Obtaining Support, and Security Guidelines
Cisco ASA 5500 Series Release Notes Version 8.0(3)
January 2008Contents
This document includes the following sections:
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Obtaining Documentation, Obtaining Support, and Security Guidelines
Introduction
This version supports the following products:
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Cisco ASA 5500 series adaptive security appliance, Version 8.0(3)
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ASDM, Version 6.0(3)
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Cisco AnyConnect VPN client, Version 2.1
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Cisco Secure Desktop, Version 3.2(1)
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Cisco Intrusion Prevention System, Version 6.0
Cisco ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliance
The Cisco ASA 5500 series adaptive security appliances are purpose-built solutions that combine the most effective security and VPN services with the innovative Cisco Adaptive Identification and Mitigation (AIM) architecture.
Designed as a key component of the Cisco Self-Defending Network, the adaptive security appliance provides proactive threat defense that stops attacks before they spread through the network, controls network activity and application traffic, and delivers flexible VPN connectivity. The result is a powerful multifunction network adaptive security appliance family that provides the security breadth and depth for protecting small and medium-sized business and enterprise networks while reducing the overall deployment and operations costs and complexities associated with providing this new level of security.
For more information on all of the new features, see New Features.
Additionally, the adaptive security appliance software supports Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM). ASDM delivers world-class security management and monitoring through an intuitive, easy-to-use web-based management interface. Bundled with the adaptive security appliance, ASDM accelerates adaptive security appliance deployment with intelligent wizards, robust administration tools, and versatile monitoring services that complement the advanced integrated security and networking features offered by the market-leading suite of the adaptive security appliance. Its secure, web-based design enables anytime, anywhere access to adaptive security appliances. For more information on ASDM, see the Cisco ASDM Release Notes Version 6.0(3).
Cisco AnyConnect VPN Client
The Cisco AnyConnect VPN client is also supported in this version. It works with the adaptive security appliance to connect remote users running Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Linux, or Macintosh OS X with the benefits of a Cisco SSL VPN client, and supports applications and functions unavailable to a clientless, browser-based SSL VPN connection. For more information, see the Release Notes for Cisco AnyConnect VPN Client, Version 2.0.
Cisco Intrusion Prevention System
IPS is also supported in this version. For more information, go to the following URL:
www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6120/products_installation_and_configuration_guides_list.html
System Requirements
The sections that follow list the system requirements for operating an adaptive security appliance. This section includes the following topics:
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Operating System and Browser Requirements
•
Determining the Software Version
•
Upgrading to a New Software Version
Memory Requirements
Table 1 lists the DRAM memory requirements for the adaptive security appliance. The memory listed in this table is the default value that ships with each adaptive security appliance.
Table 1 DRAM Memory Requirements
ASA Model Default DRAM Memory (MB)5505
256
5510
256
5520
512
5540
1024
5550
4096
All adaptive security appliances require a minimum of 64 MB of internal CompactFlash, and they all ship with a minimum of 128 MB of internal CompactFlash.
If your adaptive security appliance has only 64 MB of internal CompactFlash, you should not store multiple system images, or multiple images of the new AnyConnect VPN client components, client/server plugins, or Cisco Secure Desktop.
We recommend that you purchase a 256 MB or 512 MB CompactFlash upgrade from Cisco, choosing from the following part numbers:
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ASA5500-CF-256 MB = ASA 5500 Series CompactFlash, 256 MB
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ASA5500-CF-512 MB = ASA 5500 Series CompactFlash, 512 MB
You can check the size of internal flash and the amount of free flash memory on the adaptive security appliance by doing the following:
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ASDM—Click Tools > File Management. The amounts of total and available flash memory appear on the bottom left in the pane.
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CLI—In Privileged EXEC mode, enter the dir command. The amounts of total and available flash memory appear on the bottom of the output.
For example:
hostname # dirDirectory of disk0:/2 drwx 4096 11:22:00 Dec 01 2006 csco_config43 -rwx 14358528 08:46:02 Feb 19 2007 cdisk.bin44 -rwx 4634 14:32:48 Sep 17 2004 first-backup45 -rwx 4096 09:55:02 Sep 21 2004 fsck-245146 -rwx 4096 09:55:02 Sep 21 2004 fsck-250547 -rwx 774 10:48:04 Nov 21 2006 profile.tmpl48 -rwx 406963 12:45:34 Feb 06 2007 svc3 drwx 8192 03:35:24 Feb 02 2007 log49 drwx 4096 07:10:54 Aug 09 2006 150 -rwx 21601 14:20:40 Dec 17 2004 tftp51 -rwx 17489 06:36:40 Dec 06 2006 custom.xml136 -rwx 12456368 10:25:08 Feb 20 2007 asdmfile53 -rwx 20498 13:04:54 Feb 12 2007 tomm_english54 drwx 4096 14:18:56 Jan 14 2007 sdesktop56 -rwx 14358528 08:32:30 Feb 19 2007 asa800-215-k8.bin57 -rwx 10971 09:38:54 Apr 20 2006 cli.lua58 -rwx 6342320 08:44:54 Feb 19 2007 asdm-600110.bin59 -rwx 0 04:38:52 Feb 12 2007 LOCAL-CA-SERVER.udb60 -rwx 322 15:47:42 Nov 29 2006 tmpAsdmCustomization18486124008 -rwx 65111 10:27:48 Feb 20 2007 tomm_backup.cfg61 -rwx 416354 11:50:58 Feb 07 2007 sslclient-win-1.1.3.173.pkg62 -rwx 23689 08:48:04 Jan 30 2007 asa1_backup.cfg63 -rwx 45106 07:19:18 Feb 12 2007 securedesktop_asa_3_2_0_54.pkg64 -rwx 224 01:22:44 Oct 02 2006 LOCAL-CA-SERVER.crl65 drwx 4096 12:37:24 Feb 20 2007 LOCAL-CA-SERVER66 -rwx 425 11:45:52 Dec 05 2006 anyconnect67 -rwx 1555 10:18:04 Sep 29 2006 LOCAL-CA-SERVER_00001.p1268 -rwx 0 12:33:54 Oct 01 2006 LOCAL-CA-SERVER.cdb69 -rwx 3384309 07:21:46 Feb 12 2007 securedesktop_asa_3_2_0_57.pkg70 -rwx 774 05:57:48 Nov 22 2006 cvcprofile.xml71 -rwx 338 15:48:40 Nov 29 2006 tmpAsdmCustomization43040652672 -rwx 32 09:35:40 Dec 08 2006 LOCAL-CA-SERVER.ser73 -rwx 2205678 07:19:22 Jan 05 2007 vpn-win32-Release-2.0.0156-k9.pkg74 -rwx 3380111 11:39:36 Feb 12 2007 securedesktop_asa_3_2_0_56.pkg62881792 bytes total (3854336 bytes free)hostname #
In a failover configuration, the two units must have the same hardware configuration, must be the same model, must have the same number and types of interfaces, and must have the same amount of RAM. For more information, see the "Configuring Failover" chapter in the Cisco Security Appliance Command Line Configuration Guide.
Note
If you use two units with different flash memory sizes, make sure that the unit with the smaller flash memory has enough space for the software images and configuration files.
Operating System and Browser Requirements
For the latest OS and browser test results, see the Cisco ASA 5500 Series VPN Compatibility Reference.
Determining the Software Version
Use the show version command to verify the software version of your adaptive security appliance. Alternatively, the software version appears on the Cisco ASDM home page.
Upgrading to a New Software Version
ASA Version 8.0(3) delivers major enhancements to SSL VPN Remote Access services providing advanced capabilities that simplify the management and deployment of SSL VPNs while enhancing end-user services and ease-of-use. Highlights of Version 8.0(3) for Remote Access include:
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Secure access anywhere, even unmanaged endpoints, through customizable, localizable clientless access
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Flexible access policies on a per-user, per-session, per-machine basis, enabling appropriate access for employees and partners based on their identity and the posture of their endpoints
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Always up-to-date full-tunnel access through the new AnyConnect client, including Dynamic Transport Layer Security support for latency-sensitive applications like VoIP
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Microsoft Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit) and MacOS X support
SSL VPN customers are encouraged to upgrade to Version 8.0(3).
ASA Version 8.0(3) also provides new functionality for firewall customers, as listed below. However, given this release is primarily targeted towards our SSL VPN customers, customers who remain satisfied with the firewall feature content of the ASA Version 7.x series are encouraged to remain on 7.x until such time as they have a business requirement for Version 8.0(3). To support customers choosing to remain on 7.x versions, release updates across all 7.x have been made available.
If you have a Cisco.com login, you can obtain software from the following website:
http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-center/
You must upgrade from Version 7.2.(x) to Version 8.0(3) and vice versa, because older versions of the ASA images do not recognize new ASDM images, and new ASA images do not recognize old ASDM images.
You can also use the CLI to download the image. For more information, see the "Downloading Software or Configuration Files to Flash Memory" section in the Cisco Security Appliance Command Line Configuration Guide.
To upgrade from Version 7.2.(x) to Version 8.0(3), perform the following steps:
Step 1
Make a backup copy of your current configuration file.
Step 2
To retain and use an existing portal customization or URL list, make sure that clientless SSL VPN is enabled on the adaptive security appliance by doing the following:
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ASDM—Choose Configuration > Remote Access VPN > Clientless SSL VPN to enable clientless SSL VPN connections on the appropriate interface.
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CLI—Enter the webvpn enable command in global configuration mode to enable clientless SSL VPN connections on the appropriate interface.
Step 3
Load the new Version 8.0(3) image from the following website:
http://www.cisco.com/pcgi-bin/tablebuild.pl/asa
Step 4
Restart the device to load the Version 8.0(3) image.
Step 5
Load the new ASDM 6.0 image from the following website:
http://www.cisco.com/pcgi-bin/tablebuild.pl/asa.
Step 6
Enter the following command to tell the adaptive security appliance where to find the ASDM image:
hostname(config)# asdm image disk0:/asdmfilename (no spaces after the / character, or within the filename itself)
Upgrading to Version 8.0 for Portal Customization and URL Lists
Version 8.0 extends the functionality for configuring customization and URL lists, and the new process is incompatible with previous versions. During the software upgrade to 8.0, the adaptive security appliance preserves your current configuration by using old settings to generate new customization objects and URL lists. This process occurs only once, and is more than a simple transformation from the old format to the new one, because the old values are only a partial subset of the new ones.
Note
Version 7.2 portal customizations and URL lists work only if clientless SSL VPN (WebVPN) configuration is enabled on the appropriate interface in the Version 7.2(x) configuration file before you upgrade to Version 8.0(3).
To make any changes to existing URL lists or customizations, after you upgrade to Version 8.0(3), you must use the new export/import webvpn url-list commands that replace the 7.2 url-list commands in webvpn mode.
Similarly, to make changes to the portal customization, use the new export/import webvpn customization commands. For a complete description of the command syntax, see the Cisco Security Appliance Command Reference.
The group policy, username, and tunnel group still enforce the url-list and customization objects.
Downgrading to Version 7.2(x) Software
To downgrade from Version 8.0(3) to 7.2(x), perform the following steps:
Step 1
Load the 7.2(x) image from the following website:
http://www.cisco.com/pcgi-bin/tablebuild.pl/asa
Step 2
Restart the device to load the 7.2(x) image.
Step 3
Load the ASDM 5.2(x) image from the following website:
http://www.cisco.com/pcgi-bin/tablebuild.pl/asa.
Step 4
Enter the following command to tell the adaptive security appliance where to find the ASDM image:
hostname(config)# asdm image disk0:/asdmfilename (no spaces after the / character, or within the filename itself)
Installing or Upgrading Cisco Secure Desktop
Cisco Secure Desktop Release 3.2 requires ASA Version 8.0(3). You do not need to restart the adaptive security appliance after you install or upgrade Cisco Secure Desktop.
Note
Archive and delete the Secure Desktop desktop/data.xml configuration file before upgrading to Cisco Secure Desktop 3.2. To create a clean configuration file, uninstall Cisco Secure Desktop before reinstalling it.
The expanded flexibility provided by a prelogin assessment sequence editor, and replacement of the Cisco Secure Desktop feature policies with a dynamic access policy (DAP) configured on the adaptive security appliance, are incompatible with Cisco Secure Desktop 3.1.1 configurations. Cisco Secure Desktop automatically inserts a new, default configuration file when it detects that one is not present.
For consistency with the previous release notes, these instructions provide the CLI commands needed to install Secure Desktop. You may, however, prefer to use ASDM. To do so, choose Configuration > Remote Access VPN > Secure Desktop Manager > Setup and click Help.
To install or upgrade the Cisco Secure Desktop software, perform the following steps:
Step 1
Retrieve the securedesktop_asa_3_2_0_build.pkg file from the following website and install it on the flash memory card of the adaptive security appliance:
http://www.cisco.com/pcgi-bin/tablebuild.pl/securedesktop
Step 2
Enter the following commands to access webvpn configuration mode:
hostname# config terminal
hostname(config)# webvpn
hostname(config-webvpn)#
Step 3
To validate the Cisco Secure Desktop distribution package and add it to the running configuration, enter the following command in webvpn configuration mode:
hostname(config-webvpn)# csd image disk0:/securedesktop_asa_3_2_0_build.pkg
hostname(config-webvpn)#
Step 4
To enable Cisco Secure Desktop for management and remote user access, use the csd enable command in webvpn configuration mode. To disable Cisco Secure Desktop, use the no form of this command.
hostname(config-webvpn)# csd enable
hostname(config-webvpn)#
New Features
This section lists the new features for Version 8.0(3). All new features are supported in ASDM Version 6.0(3).
AnyConnect RSA SoftID API Integration
Provides support for AnyConnect VPN clients to communicate directly with RSA SoftID for obtaining user token codes. It also provides the ability to specify SoftID message support for a connection profile (tunnel group), and the ability to configure SDI messages on the security appliance that match SDI messages received through a RADIUS proxy. This feature ensures the prompts displayed to the remote client user are appropriate for the action required during authentication and the AnyConnect client responds successfully to authentication challenges.
IP Address Reuse Delay
Delays the reuse of an IP address after it has been returned to the IP address pool. Increasing the delay prevents problems the security appliance may experience when an IP address is returned to the pool and reassigned quickly.
WAAS and ASA Interoperability
The [no] inspect waas command is added to enable WAAS inspection in the policy-map class configuration mode. This CLI is integrated into Modular Policy Framework for maximum flexibility in configuring the feature. The [no] inspect waas command can be configured under a default inspection class and under a custom class-map. This inspection service is not enabled by default.
The keyword option waas is added to the show service-policy inspect command to display WAAS statistics.
show service-policy inspect waasA new system log message is generated when WAAS optimization is detected on a connection. All L7 inspection services including IPS are bypassed on WAAS optimized connections.
System Log Number and Format:
%ASA-6-428001: WAAS confirmed from in_interface:src_ip_addr/src_port to out_interface:dest_ip_addr/dest_port, inspection services bypassed on this connection.
A new connection flag "W" is added in the WAAS connection. The show conn detail command is updated to reflect the new flag.
Important Notes
ASA Compatible with EIGRP Version 3
EIGRP support was added in Version 8.0(2). However, due to a packet format change, Version 8.0(3) and later are not compatible with Version 8.0(2). Therefore, if you upgrade an adaptive security appliance to Version 8.0(3) or later, and it is peering with another adaptive security appliance running Version 8.0(2), then the peer must also be upgraded, or EIGRP will not operate correctly.
Caveats
The following sections describe the caveats for Version 8.0(3).
For your convenience in locating caveats in the Cisco Bug Toolkit, the caveat titles listed in this section are drawn directly from the Bug Toolkit database. These caveat titles are not intended to be read as complete sentences because the title field length is limited. In the caveat titles, some truncation of wording or punctuation may be necessary to provide the most complete and concise description. The only modifications made to these titles are as follows:
•
Commands are in boldface type.
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Product names and acronyms may be standardized.
•
Spelling errors and typos may be corrected.
Note
If you are a registered cisco.com user, view Bug Toolkit on cisco.com at the following website:
http://www.cisco.com/support/bugtools
To become a registered cisco.com user, go to the following website:
http://tools.cisco.com/RPF/register/register.do
Open Caveats - Version 8.0(3)
Resolved Caveats - Version 8.0(3)

