# CVE-2020-3433: Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows DLL Hijacking

> Local authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges via DLL hijacking in Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows.

- **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:** Yes, since 24 Oct 2022 (CISA KEV), used in ransomware
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Aug 2020
- **Updated:** 12 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v63m-wv25-vhmp

## What is CVE-2020-3433?

CVE-2020-3433 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client, published on 17 Aug 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-3433?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-3433?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-3433 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 14 Nov 2022.

## Is CVE-2020-3433 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-3433 in the wild since at least 24 Oct 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Public exploit code:

- PoCs and technical analysis of three vulnerabilities found on Cisco AnyConnect for Windows: CVE-2020-3433, CVE-2020-3434 and CVE-2020-3435  (github_poc): https://github.com/goichot/CVE-2020-3433
- Cisco AnyConnect Privilege Escalations (CVE-2020-3153 and CVE-2020-3433) (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client

- [CVE-2020-3153](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3153/): Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path (medium 6.5, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2012-3088](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3088/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2012-2493](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2493/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2011-2040](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2040/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2023-20178](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20178/): Privilege escalation in Cisco Secure Client (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-3433 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-3433 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client, published on 17 Aug 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-3433 in the wild since at least 24 Oct 2022, including in ransomware campaigns.

Affected product: Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client. 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-2020-3433/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3433/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-3433
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3433
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-3433

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3433/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.