How severe is CVE-2020-11977?

CVE-2020-11977 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-11977 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (86th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-11977?

CVE-2020-11977 affects Apache Syncope. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-11977?

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

When was CVE-2020-11977 published?

CVE-2020-11977 was published on 2020-09-15 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-11977

CVE-2020-11977 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apache Syncope with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.2)
CVSS v2: 8.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 3% (86th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Apache Syncope
Published: 2020-09-15
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In Apache Syncope 2.1.X releases prior to 2.1.7, when the Flowable extension is enabled, an administrator with workflow entitlements can use Shell Service Tasks to perform malicious operations, including but not limited to file read, file write, and code execution.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-11977?: In Apache Syncope 2.1.X releases prior to 2.1.7, when the Flowable extension is enabled, an administrator with workflow entitlements can use Shell Service Tasks to perform malicious operations, including but not limited to file read, file write, and code execution.
How severe is CVE-2020-11977?: CVE-2020-11977 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-11977 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (86th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-11977?: CVE-2020-11977 affects Apache Syncope. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-11977?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2020-11977 published?: CVE-2020-11977 was published on 2020-09-15 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://syncope.apache.org/security#CVE-2020-11977:_Remote_Code_Execution_via_Flowable_workflow_definition

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:apache:syncope:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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