CVE-2020-3153
Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 14 November 2022). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
A vulnerability in the installer component of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated local attacker to copy user-supplied files to system level directories with system level privileges. The vulnerability is due to the incorrect handling of directory paths. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a malicious file and copying the file to a system directory. An exploit could allow the attacker to copy malicious files to arbitrary locations with system level privileges. This could include DLL pre-loading, DLL hijacking, and other related attacks. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs valid credentials on the Windows system.
- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 MEDIUMCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
- EPSS
- 28.31% probability · 98th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Listed 24 October 2022 · due 14 November 2022 · used in ransomware campaigns
- Weakness
- CWE-427
- Affected
- cisco/anyconnect secure mobility client
- Source
- psirt@cisco.com
EPSS 28.3% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
CISA notes
Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3153
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157340/Cisco-AnyConnect-Secure-Mobility-Client-4.8.01090-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158219/Cisco-AnyConnect-Path-Traversal-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159420/Cisco-AnyConnect-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Apr/43Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsjVendor Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157340/Cisco-AnyConnect-Secure-Mobility-Client-4.8.01090-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158219/Cisco-AnyConnect-Path-Traversal-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159420/Cisco-AnyConnect-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Apr/43Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsjVendor Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-3153US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.