CVE-2020-11651
SaltStack Salt contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the salt-master process ClearFuncs due to improperly validating method calls. The vulnerability allows a remote user to access some methods without authentication, which can be used to retrieve user tokens from the salt master and/or run commands on salt minions. Salt users who follow fundamental internet security guidelines and best practices are not affected by this vulnerability.
An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt before 2019.2.4 and 3000 before 3000.2. The salt-master process ClearFuncs class does not properly validate method calls. This allows a remote user to access some methods without authentication. These methods can be used to retrieve user tokens from the salt master and/or run arbitrary commands on salt minions.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-04/msg00047.htmlMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-07/msg00070.htmlMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/157560/Saltstack-3000.1-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploitThird Party Advisory
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/157678/SaltStack-Salt-Master-Minion-Unauthenticated-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploitThird Party Advisory
- vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2020-0009.htmlThird Party Advisory
- docs.saltstack.com/en/latest/topics/releases/2019.2.4.htmlVendor Advisory
- github.com/saltstack/salt/blob/v3000.2_docs/doc/topics/releases/3000.2.rstThird Party Advisory
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/05/msg00027.htmlMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-salt-2vx545AGThird Party Advisory
- usn.ubuntu.com/4459-1/Third Party Advisory
- debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4676Third Party Advisory
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-11651US Government Resource
Actively exploited. Patch immediately.
- Exploitation
- Confirmed in the wild (CISA KEV)
- Federal remediation deadline
- Overdue by 1637 days
- CVSS
- 9.8 CRITICAL
- EPSS (30-day exploit probability)
- 96.6% · top 1% of all CVEs
- Weakness
- NVD-CWE-Other
- Attack vector
- Network, remotely reachable
- Preconditions
- No privileges and no user interaction
- 1.Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- 2.Treat as emergency change: patch or isolate internet-facing instances first.
- 3.Review exposure: confirm which instances are reachable from the internet and restrict access until patched.
- 4.Hunt for compromise: review logs for the disclosure window, not just from the patch date.
Assessment is derived automatically from the live signals above; verify against your own asset inventory.