CVE-2020-12062
The scp client in OpenSSH 8.2 incorrectly sends duplicate responses to the server upon a utimes system call failure, which allows a malicious unprivileged user on the remote server to overwrite arbitrary files in the client's download directory by…
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (2.23%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
The scp client in OpenSSH 8.2 incorrectly sends duplicate responses to the server upon a utimes system call failure, which allows a malicious unprivileged user on the remote server to overwrite arbitrary files in the client's download directory by creating a crafted subdirectory anywhere on the remote server. The victim must use the command scp -rp to download a file hierarchy containing, anywhere inside, this crafted subdirectory. NOTE: the vendor points out that "this attack can achieve no more than a hostile peer is already able to achieve within the scp protocol" and "utimes does not fail under normal circumstances.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
- EPSS
- 2.23% probability · 83th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-20
- Affected
- openbsd/openssh
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 2.2% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/commit/955854cafca88e0cdcd3d09ca1ad4ada465364a1Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/commit/aad87b88fc2536b1ea023213729aaf4eaabe1894Third Party Advisory
- https://www.openssh.com/txt/release-8.3Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/05/27/1Mailing List, Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/commit/955854cafca88e0cdcd3d09ca1ad4ada465364a1Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/commit/aad87b88fc2536b1ea023213729aaf4eaabe1894Third Party Advisory
- https://www.openssh.com/txt/release-8.3Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/05/27/1Mailing List, Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.