CVE-2020-25592 SaltStack Salt Improper Validation of eauth credentials and tokens in salt-netapi

Critical 9.8 Published 6 Nov 2020 Updated 4 Aug 2024

Attackers can bypass authentication in SaltStack Salt's netapi to invoke Salt SSH, potentially leading to unauthorized remote code execution.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2020-25592?

CVE-2020-25592 is a critical authentication bypass 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

In SaltStack Salt through 3002, salt-netapi improperly validates eauth credentials and tokens. A user can bypass authentication and invoke Salt SSH.

Weakness: CWE-287

Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-25592?

19 open source packages ship an affected version, including salt. It affects 2 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`	`2019.2.7`
`salt` PyPI	From `2019.2.0`	`2019.2.7`
`salt` PyPI	From `3000.0`	`3000.5`
`salt` PyPI	From `3000.0`	`3000.5`
`salt` PyPI	From `3001.0`	`3001.3`
`salt` PyPI	From `3001.0`	`3001.3`
`salt` PyPI	From `3002.0`	`3002.1`
`salt` PyPI	From `3002.0`	`3002.1`

Products include Debian Debian Linux, Saltstack Salt.

How do I fix CVE-2020-25592?

Upgrade salt to a fixed version for your release line: 2015.8.10, 2015.8.13, 2016.3.4 or 2016.3.6.

Upgrade, and rotate credentials and sessions that may have been exposed. More about Authentication bypass.

Is CVE-2020-25592 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-25592 exists.

Public exploit code: 1 Metasploit module.

All Debian Debian Linux vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as GHSA-29j3-2446-5j4w, PYSEC-2020-106, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-25592.