Cisco ASA-SSM-AIP-20-K9
ASA 5500 AIP Security Services Module-20
Product Highlights
What's Included
256MB Flash (1x ASA5500-CF-256MB)
When your Cisco ASA 5500 firewall needs to go beyond stateful packet inspection and deliver true inline intrusion prevention, the ASA-SSM-AIP-20-K9 is the purpose-built answer. This Advanced Inspection and Prevention Security Services Module (AIP SSM-20) slides into the SSM slot of compatible ASA 5500 series appliances and immediately extends your security posture with full-featured IPS/IDS capabilities.
The AIP SSM-20 combines signature-based detection, protocol analysis, and anomaly detection to identify and block malicious traffic — including worms, network viruses, and zero-day exploits — before it reaches your internal network. With up to 450 Mbps of concurrent threat mitigation throughput (when paired with the ASA 5540), the module handles demanding traffic loads while maintaining low latency. Cisco's Global Correlation intelligence feeds provide real-time reputation data, further improving detection accuracy and reducing false positives.
Equipped with 2 GB of DRAM and 256 MB of flash memory, the AIP SSM-20 supports a signature database of over 25,000 threats and can be managed centrally through Cisco Security Manager (CSM) or the Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM). Whether you're protecting a campus network edge, a multi-VLAN data center, or a distributed branch environment, this module delivers enterprise-grade intrusion prevention without requiring a separate standalone IPS appliance.
Note: The Cisco ASA 5500 series and AIP SSM modules have reached End-of-Life (EOL) status. This product is ideal for maintaining or expanding existing ASA 5500 deployments at a fraction of the original cost.
Features & Benefits
Inline Intrusion Prevention
The AIP SSM-20 operates inline within the ASA traffic path, inspecting every packet for known attack signatures, protocol anomalies, and suspicious behavioral patterns. This proactive approach stops threats before they reach protected hosts, eliminating the need for a separate standalone IPS appliance and reducing both cost and complexity.
Day-Zero Attack Protection
Cisco anomaly detection learns the normal behavior of your network and alerts you when anomalous activity is detected. This provides protection against new, previously unseen threats even before specific signatures are available — a critical capability for defending against zero-day exploits and emerging attack vectors.
Global Correlation & Threat Intelligence
With updates delivered as frequently as every five minutes, the AIP SSM-20 leverages Cisco's Global Correlation intelligence to incorporate real-time reputation data from IPS, firewall, email, and web appliances worldwide. This dramatically improves detection accuracy and helps prioritize the most critical threats.
Seamless ASA 5500 Integration
Designed as a plug-in SSM module, the AIP SSM-20 integrates directly into the Cisco ASA 5500 chassis without consuming rack space or requiring additional power infrastructure. The unified architecture simplifies management through a single ASDM or CSM console, reducing operational overhead for security teams.
Virtual Sensor Support
The module supports multiple virtual sensors, enabling administrators to segment and apply distinct IPS policies to different network zones or VLANs. This granular approach allows tailored threat protection for DMZs, internal departments, and external-facing services — all from a single module.
Deployment Scenarios
Enterprise Campus Perimeter Defense
Deploy the AIP SSM-20 in an ASA 5520 or 5540 at the campus network edge to inspect all ingress and egress traffic for intrusion attempts, worms, and malware. The module's inline prevention mode blocks threats in real time, protecting internal servers and endpoints without adding network latency.
Data Center DMZ Protection
Install the AIP SSM-20 in an ASA 5500 appliance guarding your DMZ to provide deep packet inspection of traffic destined for web servers, application servers, and database tiers. Signature-based and anomaly detection work together to identify SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other application-layer attacks.
Maintaining Legacy ASA 5500 Deployments
For organizations still running ASA 5500 series firewalls, the AIP SSM-20 offers a cost-effective way to add or replace IPS functionality without a full platform migration. Sourcing pre-owned modules extends the useful life of existing infrastructure while maintaining a strong security posture.
General
Memory & Storage
Performance
Networking
Physical
Environmental
Compliance
Compatibility
Compatibility Notes
Compatible Platforms
The ASA-SSM-AIP-20-K9 is compatible with the following Cisco ASA 5500 series appliances equipped with an SSM slot:
- Cisco ASA 5510 (Security Plus License recommended for full feature set)
- Cisco ASA 5520
- Cisco ASA 5540
Concurrent Threat Mitigation Throughput by Platform
| ASA Platform | Throughput (Firewall + IPS) |
|---|---|
| ASA 5510 | Up to 150 Mbps |
| ASA 5520 | Up to 375 Mbps |
| ASA 5540 | Up to 450 Mbps |
Management Software
- Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM)
- Cisco Security Manager (CSM)
Note: This product has reached End-of-Life (EOL) status. Cisco no longer sells or provides new service contracts for the ASA 5500 (non-X) series. Third-party support and pre-owned availability remain options for existing deployments.
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| ASA-SSM-AIP-10-K9 | AIP SSM-10 Module | Lower-cost SSM-10 with 1 GB DRAM; lower IPS throughput — suited for lighter traffic loads on ASA 5510/5520. |
| ASA-SSM-AIP-40-K9 | AIP SSM-40 Module | Higher-performance SSM-40 with greater IPS throughput — designed for ASA 5520 and 5540 deployments with heavier inspection demands. |
| ASA-SSM-CSC-20-K9 | CSC SSM-20 Content Security Module | Content Security and Control module providing antivirus, antispam, and URL filtering instead of IPS — complementary to the AIP SSM. |
| SSM-4GE= | ASA 5500 4-Port GbE SSM | 4-port Gigabit Ethernet SSM that adds I/O ports rather than IPS functionality — occupies the same SSM slot. |