# CVE-2020-36167: Path traversal in n/a

> A low-privileged user can create a malicious OpenSSL configuration file to achieve arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM during service startup.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:L/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:C/UI:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Jan 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xwmw-hpfw-6rrp

## What is CVE-2020-36167?

CVE-2020-36167 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Jan 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in the server in Veritas Backup Exec through 16.2, 20.6 before hotfix 298543, and 21.1 before hotfix 657517. On start-up, it loads the OpenSSL library from the Installation folder. This library in turn attempts to load the /usr/local/ssl/openssl.cnf configuration file, which may not exist. On Windows systems, this path could translate to <drive>:\usr\local\ssl\openssl.cnf. A low privileged user can create a :\usr\local\ssl\openssl.cnf configuration file to load a malicious OpenSSL engine, resulting in arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM when the service starts. This gives the attacker administrator access on the system, allowing the attacker (by default) to access all data, access all installed applications, etc. If the system is also an Active Directory domain controller, then this can affect the entire domain.

Weakness: CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-36167?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Veritas Backup Exec.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-36167?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-36167 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-36167 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-36167 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-27878](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27878/): Veritas Backup Exec Agent Command Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-27877](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27877/): Veritas Backup Exec Agent Improper Authentication (high 8.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-27876](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27876/): Veritas Backup Exec Agent File Access (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-8895](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8895/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-33673](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-33673/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-36167 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-36167 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Jan 2021. 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-2020-36167 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2020-36167/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36167/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-36167
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36167
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-36167

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36167/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.