CVE-2020-16846 SaltStack Salt Shell Injection
Attackers can execute arbitrary shell commands via crafted web requests to the Salt API when the SSH client is enabled.
- Exploited in the wild
- Since 3 Nov 2021
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2020-16846?
CVE-2020-16846 is a critical command injection vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 6 Nov 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt through 3002. Sending crafted web requests to the Salt API, with the SSH client enabled, can result in shell injection.
Weakness: CWE-78
Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-16846?
19 open source packages ship an affected version, including salt. It affects 4 products.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
salt PyPI | All versions | 2015.8.10, 2015.8.13, 2016.3.4, 2016.3.6, 2016.3.8, 2016.11.3, 2016.11.6, 2016.11.10, 2017.7.4, 2017.7.8, 2018.3.5, 2019.2.5, 3000.3 |
salt PyPI | All versions | 2015.8.13 |
salt PyPI | All versions | 2015.8.13 |
salt PyPI | From 2016.11.0 | 2016.11.10 |
salt PyPI | From 2016.11.0 | 2016.11.10 |
salt PyPI | From 2016.3.0 | 2016.3.8 |
13 more packages
salt PyPI | From 2016.3.0 | 2016.3.8 |
salt PyPI | From 2017.5.0 | 2017.7.8 |
salt PyPI | From 2017.5.0 | 2017.7.8 |
salt PyPI | From 2018.2.0 | 2018.3.5 |
salt PyPI | From 2018.2.0 | 2018.3.5 |
salt PyPI | From 2019.2.0 | 2019.2.6 |
salt PyPI | From 2019.2.0 | 2019.2.6 |
salt PyPI | From 3000.0 | 3000.4 |
salt PyPI | From 3000.0 | 3000.4 |
salt PyPI | From 3001 | 3001.2 |
salt PyPI | From 3001 | 3001.2 |
salt PyPI | From 3002 | 3002.1 |
salt PyPI | From 3002 | 3002.1 |
Products include Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Opensuse Leap, Saltstack Salt.
How do I fix CVE-2020-16846?
Upgrade salt to a fixed version for your release line: 2015.8.10, 2015.8.13, 2016.3.4 or 2016.3.6. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.
Upgrade, and pass arguments to programs as a list instead of through a shell. More about Command injection.
Is CVE-2020-16846 being exploited?
Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-16846 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.
Public exploit code: 1 Metasploit module, 1 Nuclei template and 2 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux
Sources
Also known as GHSA-qr38-h96j-2j3w, PYSEC-2020-104, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-16846, USN-7181-1.