Failover link without a key
At a glance
Base severity
Area
Platform
Evidence level
Benchmark reference
Reads the export, not the device
ConfigProof reads a configuration export. This control is evaluated against the objects in that file, and it reports what the file says. It does not connect to the device and sees no traffic, so a finding here describes the configuration, not what the firewall is doing right now.
Why it matters
The failover link carries the configuration, including secrets, and connection state in clear between the units.
How to fix it
Web interface
The steps below are written for the web interface. A finding raised on your own export carries the same steps with your object names filled in.
- In ASDM: Configuration > Device Management > High Availability and Scalability > Failover > Setup, set the IPsec Preshared Key (or Shared Key). Apply and save on both units.
- On the CLI: failover ipsec pre-shared-key <key> (or failover key <key>), and write memory.
Command line
Cisco ASA CLI
configure terminalfailover ipsec pre-shared-key <key>endwrite memory
An example. Values in angle brackets are yours to supply; a finding on your own export fills in the names it read. Typed in configuration mode; write memory saves it, with no separate commit. Read every line first.
Read it back
show failoverValues to fill in1
- <key>
- A new shared key
Before you type it3
- Written from the ASA 9.x command reference and not run on a device: read each line before you paste it.
- In multiple context mode, type it in the context it applies to (changeto context <name>).
- In multiple context mode, failover, clustering and resource classes are configured in the system execution space.
How to confirm the fix
- Run show failover and confirm the pair is Active and Standby Ready after the change.
Limits
- No limitation is recorded for this control beyond the one that applies to all of them: it reads a configuration export.
Compliance references
No benchmark recommendation is mapped to this control in this version.
See it on your own firewall
One complete analysis of one firewall costs nothing. A card is required and nothing is charged.