Summary

• A vulnerability in the interaction between the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol preprocessor and the Snort 3 detection engine for Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to bypass the configured policies or cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device.

  This vulnerability is due to improper error-checking when the Snort 3 detection engine is processing SMB traffic. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted SMB packet stream through an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause the Snort process to reload, resulting in a DoS condition.

  Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

  This advisory is available at the following link:
  https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ftd-smbsnort3-dos-pfOjOYUV

  This advisory is part of the November 2023 release of the Cisco ASA, FTD, and FMC Security Advisory Bundled publication. For a complete list of the advisories and links to them, see Cisco Event Response: November 2023 Semiannual Cisco ASA, FMC, and FTD Software Security Advisory Bundled Publication.

Affected Products

• Vulnerable Products

  At the time of publication, this vulnerability affected Cisco devices if they were running Cisco FTD Software Release 7.1.0 or later and if they were configured with an SMB policy that invokes the Snort 3 detection engine.

  For more information about which Cisco software releases are vulnerable, see the Fixed Software section of this advisory.

  Determine the Snort 3 Configuration

  To determine whether Snort 3 is running on Cisco FTD Software, see Determine the Active Snort Version that Runs on Firepower Threat Defense (FTD). Snort 3 must be active for this vulnerability to be exploited.

  Products Confirmed Not Vulnerable

  Only products listed in the Vulnerable Products section of this advisory are known to be affected by this vulnerability.

  Cisco has confirmed that this vulnerability does not affect the following Cisco products:

  • Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software
  • Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software
  • Open Source Snort 2
  • Open Source Snort 3

Details

• The following Cisco FTD Software Snort 3 configuration parameters govern how traffic is handled if the Snort 3 process restarts, which could change how SMB traffic is handled during an exploit of this vulnerability:

  • Snort Fail Open
  • snort preserve-connection

  For additional information, see the Firepower Management Center Configuration Guide.

Workarounds

• There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

Fixed Software

• When considering software upgrades, customers are advised to regularly consult the advisories for Cisco products, which are available from the Cisco Security Advisories page, to determine exposure and a complete upgrade solution.

  In all cases, customers should ensure that the devices to be upgraded contain sufficient memory and confirm that current hardware and software configurations will continue to be supported properly by the new release. If the information is not clear, customers are advised to contact the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) or their contracted maintenance providers.

  Cisco ASA, FMC, and FTD Software

  To help customers determine their exposure to vulnerabilities in Cisco ASA, FMC, and FTD Software, Cisco provides the Cisco Software Checker. This tool identifies any Cisco security advisories that impact a specific software release and the earliest release that fixes the vulnerabilities that are described in each advisory (“First Fixed”). If applicable, the tool also returns the earliest release that fixes all the vulnerabilities that are described in all the advisories that the Software Checker identifies (“Combined First Fixed”).

  To use the tool, go to the Cisco Software Checker page and follow the instructions. Alternatively, use the following form to search for vulnerabilities that affect a specific software release. To use the form, follow these steps:

  1. Choose which advisories the tool will search—all advisories, only advisories with a Critical or High Security Impact Rating (SIR), or only this advisory.
  2. Choose the appropriate software.
  3. Choose the appropriate platform.
  4. Enter a release number—for example, 9.16.2.11 for Cisco ASA Software or 6.6.7 for Cisco FTD Software.
  5. Click Check.

  Only this advisoryAll Critical and High advisoriesAll advisoriesCisco ASA SoftwareCisco FMC SoftwareCisco FTD SoftwareAny Platform3000 Series Industrial Security Appliances (ISA)ASA 5500-X Series FirewallsASA Service ModuleAdaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv)Firepower 1000 SeriesFirepower 2100 SeriesFirepower 4100 SeriesFirepower 9000 SeriesSecure Firewall 3100 Series

   

   

  For instructions on upgrading your FTD device, see Cisco Firepower Management Center Upgrade Guide.

   

  Additional Resources

  For help determining the best Cisco ASA, FTD, or FMC Software release, see the following Recommended Releases documents. If a security advisory recommends a later release, Cisco recommends following the advisory guidance.

  Cisco ASA Compatibility
  Cisco Secure Firewall ASA Upgrade Guide
  Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Compatibility Guide

Exploitation and Public Announcements

• The Cisco Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerability that is described in this advisory.

Source

• This vulnerability was found during the resolution of a Cisco TAC support case.

URL

• https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ftd-smbsnort3-dos-pfOjOYUV

Revision History

• Version	Description	Section	Status	Date
  1.0	Initial public release.	—	Final	2023-NOV-01

  Show Less

---