CVE-2020-11651
CRITICALCISA KEVEPSS 100th pctlDescription
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 v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 100% of all known CVEs.
SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
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.
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Remediation due: 2022-05-03
References
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-04/msg00047.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-07/msg00070.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157560/Saltstack-3000.1-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157678/SaltStack-Salt-Master-Minion-Unauthenticated-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2020-0009.html
- https://docs.saltstack.com/en/latest/topics/releases/2019.2.4.html
- https://github.com/saltstack/salt/blob/v3000.2_docs/doc/topics/releases/3000.2.rst
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/05/msg00027.html
- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-salt-2vx545AG
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4459-1/
- https://www.debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4676
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-11651
Find and fix vulnerabilities across your fleet
TridentStack Control continuously scans your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet for known vulnerabilities, prioritizes them by severity and active exploitation, and patches them automatically.
Start freeThis product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2025-11-07.