# CVE-2020-4045: Information disclosure in SSB-DB

> A bug in SSB-DB allows malicious peers to access decrypted private messages when used with SSB-Server, requiring an upgrade to fix.

- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Jun 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mpgr-2cx9-327h

## What is CVE-2020-4045?

CVE-2020-4045 is a high-severity vulnerability in ssbc SSB-DB, published on 11 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

SSB-DB version 20.0.0 has an information disclosure vulnerability. The get() method is supposed to only decrypt messages when you explicitly ask it to, but there is a bug where it's decrypting any message that it can. This means that it is returning the decrypted content of private messages, which a malicious peer could use to get access to private data. This only affects peers running SSB-DB@20.0.0 who also have private messages, and is only known to be exploitable if you're also running SSB-OOO (default in SSB-Server), which exposes a thin wrapper around get() to anonymous peers. This is fixed in version 20.0.1. Note that users of SSB-Server verion 16.0.0 should upgrade to 16.0.1 to get the fixed version of SSB-DB.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-4045?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including ssb-db. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ssb-db` | npm | From 20.0.0 | 20.0.1 |
| `ssb-db` | npm | From 20.0.0 | 20.0.1 |

Products: Scuttlebutt Ssb-Db.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-4045?

Upgrade ssb-db to 20.0.1 or later.

## Is CVE-2020-4045 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4045 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-4045 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-4045 is a high-severity vulnerability in ssbc SSB-DB, published on 11 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4045 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- ssb-db (npm): affected from 20.0.0; fixed in 20.0.1
- ssb-db (npm): affected from 20.0.0; fixed in 20.0.1

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-2020-4045/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4045/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-4045
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-4045
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-4045

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4045/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.