CVE-2020-3181

CVE-2020-3181 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cisco Email Security Appliance with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. 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-400.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in the malware detection functionality in Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) in Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Appliances (ESAs) could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to exhaust resources on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient control over system memory allocation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted email through the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause an email attachment that contains malware to be delivered to a user and cause email processing delays.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-3181?
A vulnerability in the malware detection functionality in Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) in Cisco AsyncOS Software for Cisco Email Security Appliances (ESAs) could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to exhaust resources on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to insufficient control over system memory allocation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted email through the targeted device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to cause an email attachment that contains malware to be delivered to a user and cause email processing delays.
How severe is CVE-2020-3181?
CVE-2020-3181 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity low, and availability low.
Is CVE-2020-3181 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (72nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-3181?
CVE-2020-3181 affects Cisco Email Security Appliance. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-3181?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2020-3181 published?
CVE-2020-3181 was published on 2020-03-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

More vulnerabilities in Cisco Email Security Appliance

All CVEs affecting Cisco Email Security Appliance →

Other CWE-400 (Uncontrolled Resource Consumption) vulnerabilities

Browse all CWE-400 (Uncontrolled Resource Consumption) vulnerabilities →