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Secure DesktopApplication · Cisco

CVE-2012-4655

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2012-09-24
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 WebLaunch feature in Cisco Secure Desktop before 3.6.6020 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 IDs CSCtz76128 and CSCtz78204.

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 WebLaunch feature in Cisco Secure Desktop versions prior to 3.6.6020 fails to properly validate binaries received by its downloader process. This allows remote attackers to inject malicious ActiveX or Java components that execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the downloader, achieving code execution without proper integrity checks on the downloaded binaries.

MitigationUpgrade Cisco Secure Desktop to version 3.6.6020 or later which implements proper binary validation in the downloader process. Until upgraded, disable ActiveX and Java component downloads via WebLaunch if possible.

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
Secure DesktopApplication
Affected:= 3.1= 3.1.1= 3.1.1.27= 3.1.1.33= 3.1.1.45= 3.2= 3.2.1= 3.3= 3.4= 3.4.1= 3.4.2= 3.4.2048

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. Verify Cisco Secure Desktop installation
    Check for the presence of Cisco Secure Desktop on the system by looking for its installation directory or checking Add/Remove Programs.
    Affected if Cisco Secure Desktop is installed on the system.
  2. Determine installed Cisco Secure Desktop version
    Locate the version information in the Cisco Secure Desktop installation folder or via the Windows Add/Remove Programs dialog.
    Affected if The installed version matches one of the affected versions: 3.1, 3.1.1, 3.1.1.27, 3.1.1.33, 3.1.1.45, 3.2, 3.2.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.1.4.1, 3.4.2, or 3.4.2048.
  3. Confirm WebLaunch feature is enabled
    Examine the Cisco Secure Desktop configuration settings for WebLaunch functionality. This is typically found in the CSD configuration files or admin console.
    Affected if WebLaunch feature is enabled and configured to allow binary downloads.
  4. Check ActiveX and Java download settings
    Inspect the WebLaunch configuration for policies controlling ActiveX component and Java applet downloads. Look for downloadAllow or similar configuration flags.
    Affected if ActiveX or Java component downloads are permitted through WebLaunch.

If Cisco Secure Desktop version 3.1 through 3.4.2048 is installed with WebLaunch enabled and ActiveX/Java downloads permitted, the environment is vulnerable to code injection via malicious downloaded binaries.

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

Upgrade Cisco Secure Desktop to version 3.6.6020 or later which implements proper binary validation in the downloader process. Until upgraded, disable ActiveX and Java component downloads via WebLaunch if possible.

Recommended fix High confidence

Cisco Secure Desktop 3.6.6020 or later

  1. 1. Identify the current version of Cisco Secure Desktop installed by checking the software via the administration interface or system inventory
  2. 2. Navigate to the Cisco Software Download center (software.cisco.com) or contact Cisco TAC to obtain version 3.6.6020 or later
  3. 3. Before upgrading, back up the current Secure Desktop configuration and any custom settings
  4. 4. Install the Cisco Secure Desktop version 3.6.6020 upgrade following standard Cisco upgrade procedures
  5. 5. After installation, verify the new version is correctly installed and confirm the WebLaunch feature is functioning properly
  6. 6. Test that the ActiveX and Java component validation is working as expected in the updated version

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

Fix this in Secure Desktop Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation6.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
28.0 hours of engineering $4,980
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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-2012-4655 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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
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