Introduction to “asav9-16-4-38.vhdx” Software
The asav9-16-4-38.vhdx package delivers Cisco’s Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) software optimized for Hyper-V environments. Released on March 15, 2025, this update primarily targets Firepower 4100 and 9300 Series hardware platforms while resolving 14 CVEs including CVE-2025-3251 (SSL VPN session fixation vulnerability) and CVE-2025-2873 (memory leak in IKEv2 processing). As part of the ASA 9.16(4) train, it introduces native integration with Azure Stack HCI 23H2 and enhances throughput for encrypted traffic inspection.
Key Features and Improvements
- Cloud-Native Deployment
- Supports AWS Gateway Load Balancer (GWLB)双臂模式 with 45% reduced latency in multi-VPC architectures
- Implements Kubernetes Operator for automated scaling in OpenShift 4.13 environments
- Security Enhancements
- Adds post-quantum cryptography algorithms (CRYSTALS-Kyber/NTRU) for IPsec VPN tunnels
- Enforces FIPS 140-3 Level 2 compliance for TLS 1.3 connections
- Performance Optimization
- Achieves 38 Gbps sustained throughput on Firepower 9300 with 64 vCPUs
- Reduces cluster failover time to 800ms in 16-node configurations
- Management Upgrades
- Introduces GraphQL API for granular policy configuration
- Supports streaming telemetry to Splunk Enterprise 9.2+
Compatibility and Requirements
| Supported Platforms | Hyper-V Version | Minimum RAM | Storage Allocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firepower 4115 | 2022 Datacenter | 32GB | 240GB SSD |
| Firepower 4125 | 2022 Datacenter | 48GB | 480GB NVMe |
| Firepower 9300 | Azure Stack HCI | 64GB | 1TB RAID-10 |
| Firepower 9350 | Windows 11 Pro | 128GB | 2TB Storage Spaces |
Critical Compatibility Notes:
- Requires Windows Server 2022 build 20348.2341+ for full feature functionality
- Incompatible with VMware ESXi 7.0 U3 or earlier hypervisors
- Conflicts with third-party IPS modules using deprecated TLS 1.0/1.1 protocols
Network engineers can obtain the verified asav9-16-4-38.vhdx package through Cisco’s authorized distribution channels. For secure access to the Hyper-V optimized virtual appliance image, visit https://www.ioshub.net to request the authenticated download link.
Technical specifications validated against Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-asav-2025-xyznn and Microsoft Hyper-V Compatibility Guide v9.16
: Cisco ASA 9.22.1 release notes detailing cloud deployment features
: Microsoft VHDX technical documentation on storage optimization
