# CVE-2020-14481: Weak cryptography in FactoryTalk View SE

> Weak encryption in FactoryTalk View SE allows local attackers to decipher credentials, potentially leading to full system access if administrative accounts are compromised.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** No
- **Published:** 24 Feb 2022
- **Updated:** 17 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9h67-gqh5-w6f6

## What is CVE-2020-14481?

CVE-2020-14481 is a high-severity vulnerability in Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View SE, published on 24 Feb 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The DeskLock tool provided with FactoryTalk View SE uses a weak encryption algorithm that may allow a local, authenticated attacker to decipher user credentials, including the Windows user or Windows DeskLock passwords. If the compromised user has an administrative account, an attacker could gain full access to the user’s operating system and certain components of FactoryTalk View SE.

Weakness: CWE-326 (Inadequate Encryption Strength), CWE-261 (Weak Encoding for Password)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-14481?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Rockwellautomation Factorytalk View.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-14481?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-14481 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-14481 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-14481 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View SE

- [CVE-2023-2071](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2071/): FactoryTalk View Machine Edition Vulnerable to Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-45824](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-45824/): FactoryTalk® View Site Edition Remote Code Execution Vulnerability via Lack of Input Validation (critical 9.2)
- [CVE-2020-12029](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12029/): Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View SE (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2024-4609](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4609/): Rockwell Automation Datalog Function within in FactoryTalk® View SE contains SQL Injection Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-9064](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-9064/): Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View Machine Edition Path Traversal (high 8.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-14481 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-14481 is a high-severity vulnerability in Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View SE, published on 24 Feb 2022. 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-2020-14481 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View SE. 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-2020-14481/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14481/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-14481
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-14481
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-14481

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14481/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.