How severe is CVE-2020-1989?

CVE-2020-1989 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-1989 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (18th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-1989?

CVE-2020-1989 affects Paloaltonetworks Globalprotect. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-1989?

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-2020-1989 published?

CVE-2020-1989 was published on 2020-04-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-1989

CVE-2020-1989 is a high-severity vulnerability in Paloaltonetworks Globalprotect with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0. 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-269.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.0)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (18th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-269
Affected product: Paloaltonetworks Globalprotect
Published: 2020-04-08
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An incorrect privilege assignment vulnerability when writing application-specific files in the Palo Alto Networks Global Protect Agent for Linux on ARM platform allows a local authenticated user to gain root privileges on the system. This issue affects Palo Alto Networks Global Protect Agent for Linux 5.0 versions before 5.0.8; 5.1 versions before 5.1.1.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-1989?: An incorrect privilege assignment vulnerability when writing application-specific files in the Palo Alto Networks Global Protect Agent for Linux on ARM platform allows a local authenticated user to gain root privileges on the system. This issue affects Palo Alto Networks Global Protect Agent for Linux 5.0 versions before 5.0.8; 5.1 versions before 5.1.1.
How severe is CVE-2020-1989?: CVE-2020-1989 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-1989 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (18th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-1989?: CVE-2020-1989 affects Paloaltonetworks Globalprotect. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-1989?: 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-2020-1989 published?: CVE-2020-1989 was published on 2020-04-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2020-1989

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:paloaltonetworks:globalprotect:*:*:*:*:*:linux:*:*

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