Overview
SaltStack Salt allows an unauthenticated user with network access to the Salt API to use shell injections to run code on the Salt API using the SSH client. This vulnerability affects any users running the Salt API.
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-16846
Key Details
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| CVE ID | CVE-2020-16846 |
| Vendor / Product | SaltStack — Salt |
| NVD Published | 2020-11-06 |
| NVD Last Modified | 2025-11-07 |
| CVSS 3.1 Score | 9.8 |
| CVSS 3.1 Vector | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| Severity | CRITICAL |
| CWE | CWE-78 |
| CISA KEV Added | 2021-11-03 |
| CISA KEV Deadline | 2022-05-03 |
| Known Ransomware Use | No |
CVSS 3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Required Action
CISA BOD 22-01 Deadline: 2022-05-03.
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2021-11-03 | Added to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog |
| 2022-05-03 | CISA BOD 22-01 remediation deadline |
References
| Resource | Type |
|---|---|
| NVD — CVE-2020-16846 | Vulnerability Database |
| CISA KEV Catalog Entry | US Government |