# CVE-2021-20020: Privilege escalation in Global Management System (GMS)

> Remote unauthenticated attackers can escalate privileges to root on SonicWall Global Management System via command execution.

- **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:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Apr 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r5rf-xw5q-xf24

## What is CVE-2021-20020?

CVE-2021-20020 is a critical vulnerability in SonicWall Global Management System (GMS), published on 10 Apr 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A command execution vulnerability in SonicWall GMS 9.3 allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to locally escalate privilege to root.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-20020?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sonicwall Global Management System.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-20020?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-20020 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-20020 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-20020 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in SonicWall Global Management System (GMS)

- [CVE-2019-7478](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-7478/): SQL injection in GMS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-9866](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-9866/): Command injection in Global Management System (GMS) (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-7476](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-7476/): Hardcoded credentials in Global Management System (GMS) (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2021-20030](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20030/): Path traversal in SonicWall GMS (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-20020 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-20020 is a critical vulnerability in SonicWall Global Management System (GMS), published on 10 Apr 2021. 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-2021-20020 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: SonicWall Global Management System (GMS). 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-2021-20020/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20020/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-20020
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-20020
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-20020

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20020/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.