# CVE-2018-20587: Missing authorization in n/a

> Local attackers can steal cryptocurrency by exploiting incorrect access control on RPC ports to bypass authentication mechanisms.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Feb 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rr2v-hv85-27hv

## What is CVE-2018-20587?

CVE-2018-20587 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Bitcoin Bitcoin Core, published on 11 Feb 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Bitcoin Core 0.12.0 through 0.17.1 and Bitcoin Knots 0.12.0 through 0.17.x before 0.17.1.knots20181229 have Incorrect Access Control. Local users can exploit this to steal currency by binding the RPC IPv4 localhost port, and forwarding requests to the IPv6 localhost port.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-20587?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Bitcoin Bitcoin Core, Bitcoinknots Bitcoin Knots.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-20587?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-20587 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-20587 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Bitcoin Bitcoin Core

- [CVE-2025-46597](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-46597/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2025-54604](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54604/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2025-54605](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54605/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2019-25220](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-25220/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2024-52912](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-52912/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-20587 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-20587 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Bitcoin Bitcoin Core, published on 11 Feb 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-20587 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Bitcoin Bitcoin Core. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20587/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20587/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-20587
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-20587
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-20587

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20587/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.