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NVD / CVE Program· CNA mitre

CVE-2020-11651: An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt before 2019.2.4 and 3000 before 3000.2.

CriticalCVSS 9.8 · v3.1KEVWeaponized Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Now (action score 98/100)

  • CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild (Nov 3, 2021). Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: May 3, 2022.
  • A ready-made attack module is public (Metasploit); exploiting it takes no special expertise.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 96.6% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 99.8% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • According to CISA the attack is automatable: targets can be found by mass scanning.
  • Fixed version: salt (Alpine:v3.10) 2019.2.4-r0; salt (Alpine:v3.12) 3000.2-r0; salt (Debian:10) 2018.3.4+dfsg1-6+deb10u1.
  • Mentioned 2 times in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).

Patch today or shut off access. Upgrade to salt (Alpine:v3.10) 2019.2.4-r0; salt (Alpine:v3.12) 3000.2-r0; salt (Debian:10) 2018.3.4+dfsg1-6+deb10u1 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · CISA KEV · FIRST EPSS

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.

Published
Apr 30, 2020
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
96.6% · 99th percentile
CWE
—

Report tools

JSON

Action score

98

Now

Patch today or shut off access.

CVSS
39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
CISA KEV
30 / 30 · Listed
EPSS
29 / 30 · 96.6%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
active
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

Actively exploited in the wild

CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021. That signals real attacks, not theory.

Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: May 3, 2022.

Get told when this record changes

  • In CISA KEV: exploitation in the wild confirmed
  • Weaponized exploit exists
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2020-11651

When you'll hear from us

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
saltstacksalt
opensuseleap
debiandebian linux
canonicalubuntu linux
vmwareapplication remote collector

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • canonical ubuntu linux16.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux18.04
  • debian debian linux10.0
  • debian debian linux8.0
  • debian debian linux9.0
  • opensuse leap15.1
  • saltstack saltbefore 2019.2.4
  • saltstack salt3000 and later · before 3000.2
  • vmware application remote collector7.5.0
  • vmware application remote collector8.0.0

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Alpine:v3.10saltfrom 3000 · before 2019.2.4-r02019.2.4-r0
Alpine:v3.12saltfrom 3000 · before 3000.2-r03000.2-r0
Debian:10saltbefore 2018.3.4+dfsg1-6+deb10u12018.3.4+dfsg1-6+deb10u1
Debian:8saltbefore 2014.1.13+ds-3+deb8u12014.1.13+ds-3+deb8u1
Debian:9saltbefore 2016.11.2+ds-1+deb9u32016.11.2+ds-1+deb9u3
Debian:9saltbefore 2016.11.2+ds-1+deb9u42016.11.2+ds-1+deb9u4
openSUSE:Leap 15.1saltbefore 3000-lp151.5.21.13000-lp151.5.21.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.1saltbefore 2019.2.0-lp151.5.15.12019.2.0-lp151.5.15.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.2saltbefore 3002.2-lp152.3.36.13002.2-lp152.3.36.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.3python-distrobefore 1.5.0-3.5.11.5.0-3.5.1
PyPIsaltfrom 3000 · before 3000.23000.2
PyPIsaltbefore 2019.2.42019.2.4
SUSE:Enterprise Storage 5saltbefore 2016.11.4-48.10.12016.11.4-48.10.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-ESPOSsaltbefore 3002.2-37.13002.2-37.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOSsaltbefore 3000-5.78.13000-5.78.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOSsaltbefore 2019.2.0-5.67.12019.2.0-5.67.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1saltbefore 3000-6.37.13000-6.37.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1saltbefore 2019.2.0-6.27.12019.2.0-6.27.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2python-distrobefore 1.5.0-3.5.11.5.0-3.5.1
SUSE:Manager Client Tools 12python-singledispatchbefore 3.4.0.3-1.5.13.4.0.3-1.5.1
SUSE:Manager Client Tools 12saltbefore 3000-46.101.13000-46.101.1
SUSE:Manager Client Tools 12saltbefore 2019.2.0-46.91.12019.2.0-46.91.1

Same product

saltstack: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2020-16846An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt through 3002.KEV
    99Now
  • CVE-2020-11652An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt before 2019.2.4 and 3000 before 3000.2.KEV
    82Now
  • CVE-2021-25282An issue was discovered in through SaltStack Salt before 3002.5.
    64This week

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2018-15751Oct 24, 2018 · SaltStack Salt before 2017.7.8 and 2018.3.x before 2018.3.3 allow remote attackers to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary commands…
    40Plan
  • ← EarlierCVE-2019-17361Jan 16, 2020 · In SaltStack Salt through 2019.2.0, the salt-api NET API with the ssh client enabled is vulnerable to command injection.
    44Plan
  • Later →CVE-2020-17490Nov 6, 2020 · The TLS module within SaltStack Salt through 3002 creates certificates with weak file permissions.
    22Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
alpine:salt2019.2.4-r0 · Alpine:v3.10Package registry (OSV)
debian:salt2014.1.13+ds-3+deb8u1 · Debian:8Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:python-distro1.5.0-3.5.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:salt2019.2.0-lp151.5.15.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.1Package registry (OSV)
PyPI:salt2019.2.4Package registry (OSV)
PyPI:salt3000.2Package registry (OSV)
suse:python-distro1.5.0-3.5.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2Package registry (OSV)
suse:python-singledispatch3.4.0.3-1.5.1 · SUSE:Manager Client Tools 12Package registry (OSV)
suse:salt2019.2.0-46.91.1 · SUSE:Manager Client Tools 12Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

Weaponized

A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.

Evidence

  • Metasploit module ×2
  • Exploit-DB entry ×1
  • Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×16

Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.

Public exploit evidence
SourceKindDate
Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub16 repositories2020-05-01 → 2026-11-07
Exploit-DB entryremote2020-05-05
Metasploit moduleauxiliary/gather/saltstack_salt_root_keySaltStack Salt Master Server Root Key Disclosureauxiliary2020-04-30
Metasploit moduleexploit/linux/misc/saltstack_salt_unauth_rceSaltStack Salt Master/Minion Unauthenticated RCEexploit2020-04-30

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

  1. Metasploit-1 d
  2. Published
  3. First PoCsame day
  4. CISA KEV+551 d
  5. TodayNov 14, 2026+2389 d

National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)

Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.

All national notices →

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

—

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

References

Show all references (9 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records