CVE-2020-8218 Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure: command or code injection
In plain words: The program treats text it receives as instructions instead of plain data. The attacker can run commands on the machine — often the whole device is taken over.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Sep 7, 2022
What to do
- Install Pulse Secure's security update for Pulse Connect Secure. 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
- Pulse Connect Secure Code Injection Vulnerability
- Product
- Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure
- CISA description
- A code injection vulnerability exists in Pulse Connect Secure that allows an attacker to crafted a URI to perform an arbitrary code execution via the admin web interface.
- Type of flaw
- Command or code injection (CWE-94)
- Confirmed exploited
- Mar 7, 2022
- US federal patch deadline
- Sep 7, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2020-8218 ·
Questions about CVE-2020-8218
Is CVE-2020-8218 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2020-8218 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 7, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2020-8218?
Install Pulse Secure's security update for Pulse Connect Secure. 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-2020-8218?
Only if you use Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.