CVE-2020-3433

CVE-2020-3433 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2022-10-24). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-427.

Key facts

Description

A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-3433?
A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system.
How severe is CVE-2020-3433?
CVE-2020-3433 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-3433 being actively exploited?
Yes. CVE-2020-3433 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-10-24, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-3433?
CVE-2020-3433 affects Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-3433?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2020-3433 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2020-3433 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2020-24704. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-10-24).
When was CVE-2020-3433 published?
CVE-2020-3433 was published on 2020-08-17 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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