# CVE-2020-12017: Auth bypass in GE Grid Solutions Reason RT Clocks

> Unauthenticated attackers can bypass authentication to execute arbitrary commands, change passwords, and reboot GE industrial RT clocks.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 2 Jun 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-29xh-89xf-762p

## What is CVE-2020-12017?

CVE-2020-12017 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in GE Grid Solutions Reason RT Clocks, published on 2 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

GE Grid Solutions Reason RT Clocks, RT430, RT431, and RT434, all firmware versions prior to 08A05. The device’s vulnerability in the web application could allow multiple unauthenticated attacks that could cause serious impact. The vulnerability may allow an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands and send a request to a specific URL that could cause the device to become unresponsive. The unauthenticated attacker may change the password of the 'configuration' user account, allowing the attacker to modify the configuration of the device via the web interface using the new password. This vulnerability may also allow an unauthenticated attacker to bypass the authentication required to configure the device and reboot the system.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-12017?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Ge Rt430 Firmware, Ge Rt431 Firmware, Ge Rt434 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-12017?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-12017 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-12017 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-12017 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in GE Grid Solutions Reason RT Clocks

- [CVE-2020-25197](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-25197/): GE Reason RT43X Clocks Code Injection (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-25193](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-25193/): GE Reason RT43X Clocks Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key (medium 5.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-12017 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-12017 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in GE Grid Solutions Reason RT Clocks, published on 2 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-12017 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: GE Grid Solutions Reason RT Clocks. 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-2020-12017/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12017/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-12017
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-12017
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-12017

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12017/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.