# CVE-2020-11846: Improper handling of token allows access to restricted resource in Privileged Access Manager

> Attackers can gain unrestricted access to all application resources by exploiting improper token handling in OpenText Privileged Access Manager.

- **Severity:** High 8.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Aug 2024
- **Updated:** 21 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-982x-jhrm-q8mj

## What is CVE-2020-11846?

CVE-2020-11846 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in OpenText Privileged Access Manager, published on 21 Aug 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A vulnerability found in OpenText Privileged Access Manager that issues a token. on successful issuance of the token, a cookie gets set that allows unrestricted access to all the application resources. This issue affects Privileged Access Manager before 3.7.0.1.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-11846?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microfocus Netiq Privileged Access Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-11846?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-11846 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-11846 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-11846 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in OpenText Privileged Access Manager

- [CVE-2020-11847](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11847/): Vulnerability in sshrelay in privileged access manager provides full system access. (high 8.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-11846 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-11846 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in OpenText Privileged Access Manager, published on 21 Aug 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-11846 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: OpenText Privileged Access Manager. 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-2020-11846/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11846/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11846
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11846
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-11846

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11846/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.