# CVE-2020-5821: Code injection in Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) and Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition (SEP SBE)

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code via DLL injection in Symantec Endpoint Protection, potentially gaining elevated privileges.

- **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:** 11 Feb 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9v2m-whxm-wgp7

## What is CVE-2020-5821?

CVE-2020-5821 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Symantec Endpoint Protection, published on 11 Feb 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) and Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition (SEP SBE), prior to 14.2 RU2 MP1 and prior to 14.2.5569.2100 respectively, may be susceptible to a DLL injection vulnerability, which is a type of issue whereby an individual attempts to execute their own code in place of legitimate code as a means to perform an exploit.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-5821?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Symantec Endpoint Protection.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-5821?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-5821 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-5821 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-5821 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Symantec Endpoint Protection

- [CVE-2012-0295](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0295/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2018-5237](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5237/): Privilege escalation in Symantec Endpoint Protection (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-5836](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5836/): Privilege escalation in Symantec Endpoint Protection (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-5837](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5837/): Path traversal in Symantec Endpoint Protection (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-5820](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5820/): Privilege escalation in Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) and Symantec Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition (SEP SBE) (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-5821 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-5821 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Symantec Endpoint Protection, published on 11 Feb 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-2020-5821 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Symantec Endpoint Protection. 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-2020-5821/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5821/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-5821
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5821
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-5821

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5821/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.