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Full vulnerability report · 2020
CVE-2020-16846High confidence

SaltStack Salt Shell Injection Vulnerability

SaltStack · Salt

9.8CriticalCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Protect now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-05-03 as the remediation due date.

Fix not verified
R
Operational reassessment

Published severity in operational context

Open reassessment dashboard →
Published severityCriticalOperational priority:Critical, unchanged from published severity.unchanged

Evidence used

  • CISA confirms exploitation in the wild.
  • A structured source references public exploit or proof-of-concept material.
  • The selected CVSS metric records a network-reachable, unauthenticated path with no user interaction.
  • EPSS is 99.59% for the current model date.

Compensating controls

  • Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
  • Increase monitoring for the attack path and post-exploitation behaviour described in the report.

Verification

  1. Confirm that the asset runs SaltStack Salt and falls inside the recorded affected range.
  2. Recheck the vendor advisory before scheduling a change because no verified fixed version is currently retained.
  3. Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
  4. Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Mitigation target: Within 3 daysRemediation target: Within 90 days

This automated reassessment organises public evidence. It does not know asset exposure, business impact or control effectiveness and does not replace CVSS or a human risk decision.

Distribution package intelligence

Release-specific package status

Alpine findings are scoped to the named distribution, release and source package. An absent finding does not mean a package is unaffected.

3 package states
Repository candidate not checked

A published vendor fix does not prove that a matching update is enabled and installable on a particular asset. Confirm the local package candidate before scheduling remediation.

Distribution releaseSource packageVendor stateFixed versionEvidence
Alpine v3.23v3.23 · communitysaltVendor fix publishedAlpine records a security fix at this version. An absent entry does not mean the package is unaffected.3002-r1Alpine Security Database ↗Source updated 11 Sep 2026
Alpine v3.22v3.22 · communitysaltVendor fix publishedAlpine records a security fix at this version. An absent entry does not mean the package is unaffected.3002-r1Alpine Security Database ↗Source updated 11 Sep 2026
Alpine v3.21v3.21 · communitysaltVendor fix publishedAlpine records a security fix at this version. An absent entry does not mean the package is unaffected.3002-r1Alpine Security Database ↗Source updated 19 Aug 2026
Open-source package ranges9 source-attributed ranges

These OSV and GitHub advisory ranges apply only to the named package and ecosystem. A listed fixed version is not a universal product patch or proof that an update is installed.

Ecosystem and packageAffected rangeFirst fixed versionEvidence
pipsalt< 2015.8.132015.8.13GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 22 Oct 2025
pipsalt>= 2016.3.0, < 2016.3.82016.3.8GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 22 Oct 2025
pipsalt>= 2016.11.0, < 2016.11.102016.11.10GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 22 Oct 2025
pipsalt>= 2017.5.0, < 2017.7.82017.7.8GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 22 Oct 2025
pipsalt>= 2018.2.0, < 2018.3.52018.3.5GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 22 Oct 2025
pipsalt>= 2019.2.0, < 2019.2.62019.2.6GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 22 Oct 2025
pipsalt>= 3000.0, < 3000.43000.4GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 22 Oct 2025
pipsalt>= 3001, < 3001.23001.2GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 22 Oct 2025
pipsalt>= 3002, < 3002.13002.1GitHub advisory ↗github reviewed aggregator · 22 Oct 2025
Optional official sources

National CERT insights
?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.

Official European source

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.

1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier

EUVD-2020-0173

CISA KEV mirrored by ENISA

An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt through 3002. Sending crafted web requests to the Salt API, with the SSH client enabled, can result in shell injection.

EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Recorded by ENISA since 3 Nov 2021. Evidence sources: cisa_kev.
ENISA score
9.8 · CVSS 3.1
Advisory evidence
12 linked advisory records
Explicit mitigation evidence

Only statements that explicitly mention a fix, patch, update, workaround or mitigation are shown here.

  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2020:3243-1Security update for salt
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2020:3244-1Security update for Salt
  • csaf_opensuse · openSUSE-SU-2020:1868-1Security update for salt
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2020:3155-1Security update for salt
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2020:3171-1Security update for salt
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2020:3251-1Security update for SUSE Manager 3.2
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2020:3235-1Security update for SUSE Manager Server 4.1
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2020:3250-1Security update for SUSE Manager 4.0
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2020:3245-1Security update for Salt
  • csaf_opensuse · openSUSE-SU-2020:1833-1Security update for salt
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2020:14538-1Security update for SUSE Manager Client Tools
Recommended actionProtect now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-05-03 as the remediation due date.

Fix not verified
01

What, why and how

SaltStack Salt allows an unauthenticated user with network access to the Salt API to use shell injections to run code on the Salt API using the SSH client. This vulnerability affects any users running the Salt API.

What

SaltStack Salt allows an unauthenticated user with network access to the Salt API to use shell injections to run code on the Salt API using the SSH client. This vulnerability affects any users running the Salt API.

Why

Untrusted input is incorporated into an operating-system command without safe parameter handling.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

What

SaltStack Salt allows an unauthenticated user with network access to the Salt API to use shell injections to run code on the Salt API using the SSH client. This vulnerability affects any users running the Salt API.

Why

Untrusted input is incorporated into an operating-system command without safe parameter handling.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

02

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
Confirmed in the wild

CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 2021-11-03.

Public PoC / exploit material
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
Reference recorded

A structured CVE source labels at least one public reference as exploit material. BlackTree has not independently validated that it is safe, reliable or weaponised.

Likely attack path
a network path → Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface
Network
Privileges required
None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness
?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-78 ↗

CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection'). The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
NetworkUnauthenticatedCWE-78CISA KEVPublic exploit reference
A

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2020-0173Known-exploited evidence recorded

An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt through 3002. Sending crafted web requests to the Salt API, with the SSH client enabled, can result in shell injection.

Official EUVD record ↗
BSI · German · WID-SEC-2024-1801SaltStack Salt: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Ein entfernter, anonymer Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in SaltStack Salt ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode auszuführen, Informationen offenzulegen und die Authentisierung zu umgehen.

Official advisory ↗
Cyber Security Agency of Singapore · English · CSA-SB-20201111Security Bulletin 11 Nov 2020

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 11 Nov 2020, published on 11 November 2020. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.

Official advisory ↗
CERT-FR · French · CERTFR-2020-AVI-712Multiples vulnérabilités dans SaltStack

De multiples vulnérabilités ont été découvertes dans SaltStack. Elles permettent à un attaquant de provoquer une exécution de code arbitraire à distance et un contournement de la politique de sécurité.

Official advisory ↗
JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2020-013146SaltStack Salt における脆弱性

SaltStack Salt には、不特定の脆弱性が存在します。

Official advisory ↗
03

Patch and workaround

Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.

Status
?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Fix not verified
Affected
n/a
Fixed
No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
Action
No verified patch reference is present in the current structured sources. Check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04

Evidence and provenance

Published 6 Nov 2020 · Last source change 21 Oct 2025, 23:35 UTC · CWE-78 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceNIST NVD
EPSS source
?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.
FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2020-0173
Product sourceCISA KEV
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCISA ADP
NVD statusNVD enriched

Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗
  1. Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
    Before
    n/a: n/a · Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
    After
    n/a · Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
    CISA KEV ↗
  2. Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
    Before
    n/a · Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
    After
    n/a: n/a · Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
    CNA ↗
Material fields only · duplicate refreshes suppressed · history retained for the configured operational retention period
CVE published
Added to CISA KEV
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2020-0173↗CISA KEV record↗Vendor advisory↗CVE authority or vendor reference↗Public exploit reference↗Official CVE record (CNA and ADP data)↗NVD record↗
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.
Free version - for non-commercial use only.CVE-2020-16846 · cve.blacktree.nl