# CVE-2018-20785: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Attackers can bypass secure boot via USB serial commands to execute unsigned code and extract sensitive memory data, including Wi-Fi credentials.

- **Severity:** High 7.4 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Feb 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qj4f-cpwp-4pg8

## What is CVE-2018-20785?

CVE-2018-20785 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 23 Feb 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Secure boot bypass and memory extraction can be achieved on Neato Botvac Connected 2.2.0 devices. During startup, the AM335x secure boot feature decrypts and executes firmware. Secure boot can be bypassed by starting with certain commands to the USB serial port. Although a power cycle occurs, this does not completely reset the chip: memory contents are still in place. Also, it restarts into a boot menu that enables XMODEM upload and execution of an unsigned QNX IFS system image, thereby completing the bypass of secure boot. Moreover, the attacker can craft custom IFS data and write it to unused memory to extract all memory contents that had previously been present. This includes the original firmware and sensitive information such as Wi-Fi credentials.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-20785?

It affects 7 products.


Products: Neatorobotics Botvac Connected Firmware, Neatorobotics Botvac D3 Connected Firmware, Neatorobotics Botvac D3 Pro Connected Firmware, Neatorobotics Botvac D4 Connected Firmware, Neatorobotics Botvac D5 Connected Firmware, Neatorobotics Botvac D6 Connected Firmware, Neatorobotics Botvac D7 Connected Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-20785?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-20785 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-20785 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-20785 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2018-19442](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19442/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-18638](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-18638/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2018-19441](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19441/): Weak cryptography in n/a (medium 4.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-20785 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-20785 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 23 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-2018-20785 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2018-20785/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20785/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-20785
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-20785
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-20785

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20785/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.