dbcve.org
Anyconnect Secure Mobility ClientApplication · Cisco

CVE-2012-2493

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2012-06-20
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The VPN downloader implementation in the WebLaunch feature in Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client 2.x before 2.5 MR6 on Windows, and 2.x before 2.5 MR6 and 3.x before 3.0 MR8 on Mac OS X and Linux, does not properly validate binaries that are received by the downloader process, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors involving (1) ActiveX or (2) Java components, aka Bug ID CSCtw47523.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client VPN downloader in the WebLaunch feature does not properly validate downloaded binaries before execution. This allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary code via malicious ActiveX or Java components delivered during the VPN connection process, leading to remote code execution on affected clients.

MitigationUpdate Cisco AnyConnect clients to version 2.5 MR6 or later (Windows) or 3.0 MR8 or later (Mac OS X/Linux). Consider disabling ActiveX and Java browser components as an additional defense-in-depth measure.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Anyconnect Secure Mobility ClientApplication
Affected:= 2.0= 2.1= 2.2= 2.2.128= 2.2.133= 2.2.136= 2.2.140= 2.3= 2.3.185= 2.3.254= 2.3.2016= 2.4

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
M
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check if Cisco AnyConnect is installed
    On Windows, check for the presence of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client in Add/Remove Programs or look for the installation directory (typically C:\Program Files\Cisco\Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client). On Mac OS X, check /Applications for Cisco AnyConnect. On Linux, check common installation paths like /opt/cisco/anyconnect.
    Affected if Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is installed on the system
  2. Identify the installed version
    On Windows, open the Windows Control Panel, go to Programs and Features, find Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client and note the version number. Alternatively, right-click the AnyConnect icon in the system tray and select About to view version information. On Mac, right-click the AnyConnect icon in the menu bar and select About. On Linux, run 'vpn --version' from the command line.
    Affected if The installed version matches any of these: 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.2.128, 2.2.133, 2.2.136, 2.2.140, 2.3, 2.3.185, 2.3.254, 2.3.2016, or 2.4
  3. Determine if WebLaunch feature is enabled
    WebLaunch is the feature that automatically initiates VPN connections through a web portal. Check the AnyConnect profile XML files (typically located in C:\ProgramData\Cisco\Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client\Profile on Windows or /opt/cisco/anyconnect/profile on Linux) for WebLaunch configuration settings. In the AnyConnect client preferences, look for settings related to 'Start Before Login' or automatic connection initiation via browser.
    Affected if WebLaunch or automatic VPN initiation via web browser is enabled in the AnyConnect configuration

The system is affected if Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client version 2.0 through 2.4 is installed AND the WebLaunch feature is enabled, allowing unvalidated binaries to be downloaded and executed during VPN connection.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update Cisco AnyConnect clients to version 2.5 MR6 or later (Windows) or 3.0 MR8 or later (Mac OS X/Linux). Consider disabling ActiveX and Java browser components as an additional defense-in-depth measure.

Recommended fix High confidence

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client 2.5 MR6 (or later for 2.x) / 3.0 MR8 (or later for 3.x) depending on OS and major version

  1. 1. Identify the operating system where Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is installed (Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux).
  2. 2. For Windows: Upgrade Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client from version 2.x to version 2.5 MR6 or later.
  3. 3. For Mac OS X or Linux: If using version 2.x, upgrade to 2.5 MR6 or later; if using version 3.x, upgrade to 3.0 MR8 or later.
  4. 4. Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the client version in the application.
  5. 5. Test the VPN connection to ensure the client functions properly after the upgrade.
Caveat Minor: Some legacy VPN configurations may need adjustment if deprecated features were in use; verify compatibility with your VPN infrastructure before upgrading.

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
9.0 hours of engineering $1,600
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2012-2493 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data