How severe is CVE-2013-4436?

CVE-2013-4436 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.

Is CVE-2013-4436 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (76th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2013-4436?

CVE-2013-4436 affects Saltstack Salt. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2013-4436?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2013-4436 published?

CVE-2013-4436 was published on 2013-11-05 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2013-4436

CVE-2013-4436 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Saltstack Salt with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 2.0 base score 9.3)
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (76th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Saltstack Salt
Published: 2013-11-05
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The default configuration for salt-ssh in Salt (aka SaltStack) 0.17.0 does not validate the SSH host key of requests, which allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2013-4436?: The default configuration for salt-ssh in Salt (aka SaltStack) 0.17.0 does not validate the SSH host key of requests, which allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack.
How severe is CVE-2013-4436?: CVE-2013-4436 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.
Is CVE-2013-4436 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (76th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2013-4436?: CVE-2013-4436 affects Saltstack Salt. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2013-4436?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2013-4436 published?: CVE-2013-4436 was published on 2013-11-05 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:saltstack:salt:0.17.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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