CVE-2020-11652 SaltStack Salt: file path flaw
In plain words: The program can be tricked into reading or writing files outside the folder it should stay in. Leaks files such as passwords and settings, or overwrites important ones.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline May 3, 2022
What to do
- Install SaltStack's security update for Salt. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- SaltStack Salt Path Traversal Vulnerability
- Product
- SaltStack Salt
- CISA description
- SaltStack Salt contains a path traversal vulnerability in the salt-master process ClearFuncs which allows directory access to authenticated users. Salt users who follow fundamental internet security guidelines and best practices are not affected by this vulnerability.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-22)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 3, 2021
- US federal patch deadline
- May 3, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2020-11652 ·
Questions about CVE-2020-11652
Is CVE-2020-11652 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2020-11652 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2020-11652?
Install SaltStack's security update for Salt. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2020-11652?
Only if you use SaltStack Salt. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.