# CVE-2020-13151: Command injection in n/a

> Unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary OS commands on Aerospike database nodes via crafted Lua UDFs, leading to full system compromise.

- **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:** 5 Aug 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x797-g6hx-fpf9

## What is CVE-2020-13151?

CVE-2020-13151 is a critical command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Aug 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Aerospike Community Edition 4.9.0.5 allows for unauthenticated submission and execution of user-defined functions (UDFs), written in Lua, as part of a database query. It attempts to restrict code execution by disabling os.execute() calls, but this is insufficient. Anyone with network access can use a crafted UDF to execute arbitrary OS commands on all nodes of the cluster at the permission level of the user running the Aerospike service.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-13151?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Aerospike Aerospike Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-13151?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-13151 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-13151 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-13151 exists.

Public exploit code:

- POC for CVE-2020-13151 (github_poc): https://github.com/b4ny4n/CVE-2020-13151
- https://github.com/ByteMe1001/CVE-2020-13151-POC-Aerospike-Server-Host-Command-Execution-RCE- (github_poc): https://github.com/ByteMe1001/CVE-2020-13151-POC-Aerospike-Server-Host-Command-Execution-RCE-
- Aerospike Database UDF Lua Code Execution (metasploit)
- Aerospike Database 5.1.0.3 - OS Command Execution (exploitdb)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-13151 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-13151 is a critical command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Aug 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-13151 exists.

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-2020-13151/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13151/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-13151
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-13151
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-13151

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13151/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.