# CVE-2020-27986: Information disclosure in n/a

> Remote attackers can discover cleartext SMTP, SVN, and GitLab credentials via the API settings endpoint in SonarQube.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Oct 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-56fw-8mg6-5hvp

## What is CVE-2020-27986?

CVE-2020-27986 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Oct 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

SonarQube 8.4.2.36762 allows remote attackers to discover cleartext SMTP, SVN, and GitLab credentials via the api/settings/values URI. NOTE: reportedly, the vendor's position for SMTP and SVN is "it is the administrator's responsibility to configure it.

Weakness: CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information), CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-27986?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sonarsource Sonarqube.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-27986?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-27986 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-27986 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-27986 exists.

Public exploit code:

- SonarQube - Authentication Bypass (nuclei): http/cves/2020/CVE-2020-27986.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2024-47911](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-47911/): SQL injection in n/a (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2019-17579](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-17579/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2020-28002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-28002/): Auth bypass in n/a (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2024-38460](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38460/): SonarQube logs sensitive information (medium 4.9)
- [CVE-2018-19413](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19413/): Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor in SonarSource SonarQube API (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-27986 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-27986 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Oct 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-2020-27986 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-2020-27986/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27986/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-27986
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-27986
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-27986

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27986/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.