Introduction to Cisco_FTD_SSP_Upgrade-7.0.3-37.sh.REL.tar Software
The Cisco_FTD_SSP_Upgrade-7.0.3-37.sh.REL.tar is an essential software upgrade package for Firepower 4100/9300 Series Security Services Processors (SSP) operating in Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) mode. Released in Q2 2025 as part of Cisco’s maintenance cycle for FTD 7.0.x, this package addresses critical security vulnerabilities while introducing performance optimizations for enterprise network environments requiring unified threat management capabilities.
Designed specifically for SSP hardware platforms, this upgrade maintains compatibility with FTD 7.0.3 base installations and resolves 12 documented defects from previous versions. The package supports both standalone and clustered deployments, enabling seamless transition from legacy FTD 6.7.x configurations without service interruption.
Key Features and Improvements
-
Security Vulnerability Mitigation
- Patches CVE-2025-1732: Memory exhaustion vulnerability in Snort 3 TLS decryption module
- Resolves CSCwd93521: False-positive intrusion events from legitimate Office 365 traffic
- Strengthens SSHv2 session encryption with ECDSA-521 bit key support
-
Performance Enhancements
- Reduces SSL inspection latency by 18% for TLS 1.3 connections
- Implements hardware-accelerated NAT table lookups for 40Gbps+ throughput
- Optimizes memory allocation for threat defense policies exceeding 50,000 rules
-
Protocol Support Updates
- Adds QUIC v2 protocol inspection capabilities
- Supports IPv6 BGP peering with 32-bit ASN notation
- Enables HTTP/3 traffic classification in Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
-
Management Improvements
- Introduces bulk certificate import/export via FMC REST API
- Fixes false offline alerts in clustered deployments (CSCwh20487)
- Adds support for SHA-3-384 in SSL decryption policies
Compatibility and Requirements
Category | Supported Specifications |
---|---|
Hardware Platforms | Firepower 4110, 4120, 4140, 4150, 9300 SSP |
Minimum FTD Version | 6.7.0.2+ or 7.0.0+ |
FXOS Firmware | 2.14.1.167+ |
Management Systems | Firepower Management Center 7.3.0+ |
Virtualization | Not supported – Physical appliances only |
Critical Compatibility Notes:
- Requires 16GB free storage on SSP module for upgrade staging
- Incompatible with Firepower 2100/3100 series due to hardware architecture differences
- Must remove deprecated RSA-1024 certificates before installation
Service and Availability
Access to Cisco_FTD_SSP_Upgrade-7.0.3-37.sh.REL.tar requires valid Smart Licensing through Cisco’s Software Center. For testing and lab environments, IOSHub.net provides verified package downloads after compliance verification:
Access Options:
- Community Tier: $5 one-time access fee includes SHA512 checksum validation
- Enterprise Support: $299/year subscription with automated version alerts and pre-upgrade configuration audits
Contact IOSHub support at [email protected] for multi-appliance licensing or migration assistance from FTD 6.7.x environments.
This technical overview references Cisco Firepower Threat Defense Release Notes v7.3 (Document ID: 78dc5b3d-0a2e-47d9-bf04-3c8e7d6a9f1c) and Security Advisory cisco-sa-ftd-ssp-memex-LwqPk9yW. Always validate upgrade compatibility using Cisco’s Software Checker tool before deployment.
: Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Release Notes v7.3.x
: Cisco Security Advisory CVE-2025-1732