# Cisco ASA/FTD zero-days used in the ArcaneDoor espionage campaign · pwn.watch

> Cisco Talos disclosed ArcaneDoor, a state-sponsored campaign against perimeter devices that exploited two Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance and Firepower Threat Defense zero-days: a denial of service (CVE-2024-20353) and a persistent local code execution bug (CVE-2024-20359), used to plant the Line Dancer and Line Runner implants. Added to the CISA KEV catalog on 2024-04-24.

Page: https://pwn.watch/i/cisco-asa-ftd-arcanedoor-cve-2024-20353-20359 · generated 2026-10-22T21:47:37.879Z

## Status
- Severity: high · status: closed · patch: patched
- Product: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)
- Started: 2024-04-24 · closed: 2024-04-24
- CVEs: CVE-2024-20353, CVE-2024-20359
- Affected: See vendor advisory (versions are not listed in the KEV record)
- Fixed in: See vendor advisory linked in sources

## Follow this incident
- RSS (one item per update): https://pwn.watch/i/cisco-asa-ftd-arcanedoor-cve-2024-20353-20359/feed.xml
- JSON Feed: https://pwn.watch/i/cisco-asa-ftd-arcanedoor-cve-2024-20353-20359/feed.json
- Full data (timeline, sources, posts, agentBrief): https://pwn.watch/i/cisco-asa-ftd-arcanedoor-cve-2024-20353-20359.json
- This file: https://pwn.watch/i/cisco-asa-ftd-arcanedoor-cve-2024-20353-20359/llms.txt

## Updates (newest first)
- 2024-04-24: CVE-2024-20353 published (https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20353)
- 2024-04-24: CVE-2024-20359 published (https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20359)
- 2024-04-24: CISA added CVE-2024-20353 to the KEV catalog (federal deadline 2024-05-01) (https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog)
- 2024-04-24: CISA added CVE-2024-20359 to the KEV catalog (federal deadline 2024-05-01) (https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog)
- 2024-04-24: Cisco Talos discloses the ArcaneDoor campaign; Cisco ships fixes (https://blog.talosintelligence.com/arcanedoor-new-espionage-focused-campaign-found-targeting-perimeter-network-devices/)

## Fix brief
# Security brief: Cisco ASA/FTD zero-days used in the ArcaneDoor espionage campaign

Source: https://pwn.watch/i/cisco-asa-ftd-arcanedoor-cve-2024-20353-20359 · status: closed (closed Apr 24, 2024) · severity: high · updated Apr 24, 2024

## Patch status
**PATCHED: fixed releases exist. Upgrade to a fixed version.**

## What it is
Cisco Talos disclosed ArcaneDoor, a state-sponsored campaign against perimeter devices that exploited two Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance and Firepower Threat Defense zero-days: a denial of service (CVE-2024-20353) and a persistent local code execution bug (CVE-2024-20359), used to plant the Line Dancer and Line Runner implants. Added to the CISA KEV catalog on 2024-04-24.

Severity detail: CVSS 8.6 (v3.1, CNA), actively exploited (CISA KEV)

- Product: Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)
- CVE / advisory ids: CVE-2024-20353, CVE-2024-20359

## Affected versions
- See vendor advisory (versions are not listed in the KEV record)

## Check whether you're affected
No generic command applies (the product is a hosted service, appliance or desktop app). Check the installed version in its admin UI / About screen and compare with the versions above.

## Fix
Upgrade to one of these fixed versions (or later on the same branch):
- See vendor advisory linked in sources

After upgrading, re-run the checks above and redeploy/restart the affected services.

## Latest updates
- Apr 24, 2024: CVE-2024-20353 published
- Apr 24, 2024: CVE-2024-20359 published
- Apr 24, 2024: CISA added CVE-2024-20353 to the KEV catalog (federal deadline 2024-05-01)
- Apr 24, 2024: CISA added CVE-2024-20359 to the KEV catalog (federal deadline 2024-05-01)
- Apr 24, 2024: Cisco Talos discloses the ArcaneDoor campaign; Cisco ships fixes

## Advisories
- [Cisco advisory: CVE-2024-20353](https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-asaftd-websrvs-dos-X8gNucD2) (Cisco)
- [Cisco advisory: CVE-2024-20359](https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-asaftd-persist-rce-FLsNXF4h) (Cisco)
- [NVD: CVE-2024-20353](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20353) (NVD)
- [NVD: CVE-2024-20359](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20359) (NVD)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog) (CISA)

## Write-ups & news
- [ArcaneDoor: new espionage-focused campaign found targeting perimeter network devices](https://blog.talosintelligence.com/arcanedoor-new-espionage-focused-campaign-found-targeting-perimeter-network-devices/)

## Caveats
Derived from the CISA KEV JSON feed (catalogVersion 2026.10.21); CVSS from the CVE record (cveawg.mitre.org). startedAt is the CVE publication date when it fell in 2024 before the KEV listing, else the KEV dateAdded; exploitation may have begun earlier. closedAt is the KEV listing date (a fix or mitigation was available then unless noted).

---
Machine-readable: https://pwn.watch/i/cisco-asa-ftd-arcanedoor-cve-2024-20353-20359.json · all incidents: https://pwn.watch/incidents.json. Verify against the vendor advisory before changing production systems.