# CVE-2020-5131: Path traversal in SonicWall NetExtender

> An attacker can overwrite a DLL to execute arbitrary code with host privileges via an arbitrary file write vulnerability in the SonicWall NetExtender Windows client.

- **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:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Jul 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cw48-h2hv-c97j

## What is CVE-2020-5131?

CVE-2020-5131 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in SonicWall NetExtender, published on 17 Jul 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

SonicWall NetExtender Windows client vulnerable to arbitrary file write vulnerability, this allows attacker to overwrite a DLL and execute code with the same privilege in the host operating system. This vulnerability impact SonicWall NetExtender Windows client version 9.0.815 and earlier.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-5131?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sonicwall Netextender.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-5131?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-5131 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-5131 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-5131 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in SonicWall NetExtender

- [CVE-2023-44218](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-44218/): Privilege escalation in NetExtender (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-44217](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-44217/): Privilege escalation in NetExtender (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-22281](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22281/): Memory corruption in SonicWall NetExtender Windows (32 and 64 bit) Client (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-44220](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-44220/): Other in NetExtender (high 7.3)
- [CVE-2024-29014](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-29014/): Code injection in NetExtender (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-5131 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-5131 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in SonicWall NetExtender, published on 17 Jul 2020. 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-2020-5131 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: SonicWall NetExtender. 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-2020-5131/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5131/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-5131
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5131
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-5131

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5131/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.