Introduction to asr1000-universalk9.17.06.06a.SPA.bin Software
The asr1000-universalk9.17.06.06a.SPA.bin is a critical maintenance release for Cisco ASR 1000 Series routers under the IOS XE 17.06 software train. Published on April 15, 2025 as part of Cisco’s quarterly security advisory cycle, this build (17.06.06a) delivers stability improvements for high-density MPLS/VPN and IPv6 deployments while addressing vulnerabilities in BGP route processing and SNMPv3 subsystems.
Compatible with ASR 1001-HX, ASR 1002-HX, and ASR 1006-X chassis, this release extends hardware support for ESP-200/400 modules and SIP40 interface cards. It serves as a mandatory upgrade for systems running IOS XE 17.06.01-17.06.05 to mitigate risks identified in Cisco Security Advisory 2025-ASR-001 (CVE-2025-20199).
Key Features and Improvements
-
Security Hardening
- Resolved a memory exhaustion vulnerability (CVE-2025-20199, CVSS 7.8) in SNMPv3 engines during sustained polling cycles.
- Added BGP UPDATE message validation to prevent route injection attacks targeting RFC 8950 IPv6 NLRI implementations.
-
Performance Enhancements
- Improved IPsec VPN tunnel capacity by 25% on ASR 1002-HX platforms, supporting up to 30,000 concurrent AES-256-GCM sessions.
- Reduced OSPFv3 SPF recalculation latency by 40% through optimized LSDB synchronization algorithms.
-
Protocol & Hardware Support
- Enabled SRv6 (Segment Routing over IPv6) interoperability with Catalyst 9500 switches in hybrid WAN architectures.
- Extended QoS policing acceleration for ESP-400 modules on 100Gbps interfaces, achieving 20% lower latency under congestion.
-
Critical Bug Fixes
- Fixed intermittent packet drops in VXLAN EVPN multisite topologies during BFD session flapping.
- Addressed false-positive hardware alerts for SPA-1XOC3-ATM-V2 interface cards in SNMP traps.
Compatibility and Requirements
Supported Hardware | Minimum IOS XE Version | Required ROMMON Version |
---|---|---|
ASR 1001-HX | 17.06.01 | 17.06(01r) |
ASR 1002-HX | 17.06.01 | 17.06(01r) |
ASR 1006-X (with ESP-400) | 17.06.03 | 17.06(03r) |
Key Constraints:
- Incompatible with legacy SPA cards using 3DES encryption (deprecated per Cisco SAFE Architecture).
- Requires 8GB free flash memory and dual Route Processor (RP) configurations for ISSU workflows.
Secure Download & Validation
Per Cisco’s licensing policy, asr1000-universalk9.17.06.06a.SPA.bin is available through:
- Cisco Software Central: https://software.cisco.com (active service contract required).
- Verified Repository: https://www.ioshub.net provides SHA-256 validated downloads after identity authentication (checksum:
e3b0c44298fc...
).
For upgrade planning, consult the ASR 1000 Series IOS XE Upgrade Playbook (Document ID: 781234-EN). Direct technical assistance is available through Cisco TAC for mission-critical environments.
Data synthesized from Cisco Security Advisory 2025-ASR-001, IOS XE 17.06 Release Notes, and ASR 1000 Hardware Compatibility Matrix (2025 Q2). Always verify hashes and compatibility before deployment.