CVE-2020-3153
Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client ≤ 4.8.02042
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:NSummary
CVE-2020-3153 is a medium-severity Uncontrolled Search Path Element (CWE-427) vulnerability in Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client. Its CVSS base score is 6.5 (Medium).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Path Interception (T1034); ranked in the top 2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
A vulnerability in the installer component of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows allows an authenticated local attacker to copy user-supplied files into system-level directories with elevated privileges. The issue stems from incorrect handling of directory paths (CWE-427) and affects the Windows client installer, enabling operations such as arbitrary file placement that can facilitate DLL pre-loading or hijacking attacks. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5 with an attack vector of local access, low complexity, and low privileges required.
An attacker with valid Windows credentials can create a malicious file and exploit the path-handling flaw to write it to protected system directories. Successful exploitation grants the ability to place attacker-controlled content, such as DLLs, in locations that the system or other privileged processes will load, resulting in privilege escalation without further user interaction.
The Cisco Security Advisory cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj and associated public disclosures on Packet Storm and Full Disclosure provide additional technical details and remediation guidance for affected AnyConnect versions.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2020-24424
Vulnerability Data
A vulnerability in the installer component of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated local attacker to copy user-supplied files to system level directories with system level privileges. The vulnerability is due to the incorrect handling…
more
of directory paths. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a malicious file and copying the file to a system directory. An exploit could allow the attacker to copy malicious files to arbitrary locations with system level privileges. This could include DLL pre-loading, DLL hijacking, and other related attacks. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs valid credentials on the Windows system.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 24 October 2022
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 2 hardening rules · 1 OS baseline
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Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure-development practices directly address design of search paths and resource loading.
Hardened configuration baselines can enforce safe search-path settings and reduce exposure.
Execution allow-listing can block malicious binaries placed in hijackable search locations.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Security testing can detect uncontrolled search-path issues but does not prevent them by itself.
Restricting software installation reduces the chance that an attacker-controlled path element is introduced into the search path.
Secure system architecture and engineering principles require explicit control over search paths and resource locations.
Secure coding practices directly address the use of fixed or controlled search paths that can be influenced by unintended actors.
Configuration management can enforce approved search-path settings but does not inherently prevent the weakness.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
- V-248577 OL 8 must enable kernel parameters to enforce Discretionary Access Control (DAC) on symlinks. prevents CWE-427