How severe is CVE-2020-3531?

CVE-2020-3531 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-3531 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (80th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-3531?

CVE-2020-3531 affects Cisco Iot Field Network Director. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-3531?

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-2020-3531 published?

CVE-2020-3531 was published on 2020-11-18 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-3531

CVE-2020-3531 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Cisco Iot Field Network Director with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. 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-306.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 10.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (80th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-306
Affected product: Cisco Iot Field Network Director
Published: 2020-11-18
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A vulnerability in the REST API of Cisco IoT Field Network Director (FND) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access the back-end database of an affected system. The vulnerability exists because the affected software does not properly authenticate REST API calls. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by obtaining a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) token and then using the token with REST API requests. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to access the back-end database of the affected device and read, alter, or drop information.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-3531?: A vulnerability in the REST API of Cisco IoT Field Network Director (FND) could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access the back-end database of an affected system. The vulnerability exists because the affected software does not properly authenticate REST API calls. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by obtaining a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) token and then using the token with REST API requests. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to access the back-end database of the affected device and read, alter, or drop information.
How severe is CVE-2020-3531?: CVE-2020-3531 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-3531 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (80th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-3531?: CVE-2020-3531 affects Cisco Iot Field Network Director. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-3531?: 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-2020-3531 published?: CVE-2020-3531 was published on 2020-11-18 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-FND-BCK-GHkPNZ5F

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:cisco:iot_field_network_director:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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