# CVE-2020-6980: Information disclosure in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1400 Controllers Series B v21.001 and prior, Series A, all versions, MicroLogix 1100 Controller, all versions, RSLogix 500 Software v12.001 and prior

> Local attackers can read SMTP credentials stored in cleartext within project files, exposing sensitive authentication data in Rockwell Automation PLCs and engineering software.

- **Severity:** Low 3.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **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:** 16 Mar 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5cqw-2967-vc56

## What is CVE-2020-6980?

CVE-2020-6980 is a low-severity vulnerability in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1400 Controllers Series B v21.001 and prior, Series A, all versions, MicroLogix 1100 Controller, all versions, RSLogix 500 Software v12.001 and prior, published on 16 Mar 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1400 Controllers Series B v21.001 and prior, Series A, all versions, MicroLogix 1100 Controller, all versions, RSLogix 500 Software v12.001 and prior, If Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) account data is saved in RSLogix 500, a local attacker with access to a victim’s project may be able to gather SMTP server authentication data as it is written to the project file in cleartext.

Weakness: CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-6980?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Rockwellautomation Micrologix 1100 Firmware, Rockwellautomation Micrologix 1400 a Firmware, Rockwellautomation Micrologix 1400 B Firmware, Rockwellautomation Rslogix 500.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-6980?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-6980 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-6980 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-6980 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1400 Controllers Series B v21.001 and prior, Series A, all versions, MicroLogix 1100 Controller, all versions, RSLogix 500 Software v12.001 and prior

- [CVE-2020-6984](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6984/): Weak cryptography in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1400 Controllers Series B v21.001 and prior, Series A, all versions, MicroLogix 1100 Controller, all versions, RSLogix 500 Software v12.001 and prior (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-6990](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6990/): Hardcoded credentials in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1400 Controllers Series B v21.001 and prior, Series A, all versions, MicroLogix 1100 Controller, all versions, RSLogix 500 Software v12.001 and prior (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2015-6490](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-6490/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-3166](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-3166/): MicroLogix 1100 & 1400 Product Web Server Application Vulnerable to Denial-Of-Service Condition Attack (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2021-33012](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33012/): Denial of service in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1100 (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-6980 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-6980 is a low-severity vulnerability in Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1400 Controllers Series B v21.001 and prior, Series A, all versions, MicroLogix 1100 Controller, all versions, RSLogix 500 Software v12.001 and prior, published on 16 Mar 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-2020-6980 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1400 Controllers Series B v21.001 and prior, Series A, all versions, MicroLogix 1100 Controller, all versions, RSLogix 500 Software v12.001 and prior. 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-2020-6980/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6980/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-6980
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-6980
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-6980

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6980/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.