CVE-2014-2126 in ASA
Summary
by MITRE
Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software 8.2 before 8.2(5.47), 8.4 before 8.4(7.5), 8.7 before 8.7(1.11), 9.0 before 9.0(3.10), and 9.1 before 9.1(3.4) allows remote authenticated users to gain privileges by leveraging level-0 ASDM access, aka Bug ID CSCuj33496.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-2126 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) software implementations. This issue affects multiple versions of the ASA software across different release branches, specifically targeting versions 8.2 prior to 8.2(5.47), 8.4 prior to 8.4(7.5), 8.7 prior to 8.7(1.11), 9.0 prior to 9.0(3.10), and 9.1 prior to 9.1(3.4). The vulnerability enables remote authenticated users with level-0 ASDM (Adaptive Security Device Manager) access to escalate their privileges, fundamentally undermining the security model of the network appliance.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient privilege validation mechanisms within the ASA software's authentication and authorization framework. When users with level-0 ASDM access attempt to perform specific administrative operations, the system fails to properly verify their elevated privileges before granting access to sensitive administrative functions. This weakness creates a pathway for malicious actors who have already established a foothold through legitimate authentication to bypass normal access controls and assume higher levels of administrative authority. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the existing trust relationship established through ASDM access, making it particularly dangerous as it exploits legitimate user credentials rather than requiring additional attack vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it allows attackers to assume full administrative control over the affected ASA appliances. This elevated access level provides adversaries with complete control over network security policies, firewall rules, access control lists, and other critical security configurations. The remote nature of the vulnerability means that attackers do not require physical access or direct network connection to the device, making it particularly concerning for organizations with distributed network infrastructure. Additionally, the vulnerability affects multiple software versions, indicating a systemic issue within the ASA software architecture that required patching across different release branches.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through official Cisco security patches and updates. The mitigation strategy should include applying the relevant software updates that address the privilege escalation mechanism and strengthen the authentication validation processes. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring and logging procedures to detect unauthorized privilege escalation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper privilege management, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers exploit for privilege escalation. The vulnerability demonstrates how inadequate access control mechanisms can be exploited to compromise entire network security infrastructures, emphasizing the critical importance of proper privilege separation and validation in network security appliances.