# CVE-2020-8599: Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan Authentication Bypass

> Remote attackers can write arbitrary data to arbitrary paths and bypass root login in Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan XG servers without authentication.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Mar 2020
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r3h3-2xcv-m95h

## What is CVE-2020-8599?

CVE-2020-8599 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Trendmicro Apex One, published on 18 Mar 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Trend Micro Apex One (2019) and OfficeScan XG server contain a vulnerable EXE file that could allow a remote attacker to write arbitrary data to an arbitrary path on affected installations and bypass ROOT login. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-8599?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Trendmicro Apex One, Trendmicro Officescan.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-8599?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-8599 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2020-8599 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-8599 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

## Other vulnerabilities in Trendmicro Apex One

- [CVE-2025-54948](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54948/): Trend Micro Apex One OS Command Injection (critical 9.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-36741](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36741/): Trend Micro Multiple Products Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-8467](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8467/): Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-8468](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8468/): Trend Micro Multiple Products Content Validation Escape (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-36742](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36742/): Trend Micro Multiple Products Improper Input Validation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-8599 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-8599 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Trendmicro Apex One, published on 18 Mar 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-8599 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Affected product: Trendmicro Apex One. 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-2020-8599/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8599/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8599
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8599
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-8599

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8599/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.