How severe is CVE-2020-36254?

CVE-2020-36254 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-36254 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-2020-36254?

CVE-2020-36254 affects Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-36254?

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-2020-36254 published?

CVE-2020-36254 was published on 2021-02-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-36254

CVE-2020-36254 is a high-severity vulnerability in Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1. 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 8.1)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (72nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh
Published: 2021-02-25
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

scp.c in Dropbear before 2020.79 mishandles the filename of . or an empty filename, a related issue to CVE-2018-20685.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-36254?: scp.c in Dropbear before 2020.79 mishandles the filename of . or an empty filename, a related issue to CVE-2018-20685.
How severe is CVE-2020-36254?: CVE-2020-36254 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.1, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-36254 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-2020-36254?: CVE-2020-36254 affects Dropbear Ssh Project Dropbear Ssh. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-36254?: 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-2020-36254 published?: CVE-2020-36254 was published on 2021-02-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://github.com/mkj/dropbear/commit/8f8a3dff705fad774a10864a2e3dbcfa9779ceff

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:dropbear_ssh_project:dropbear_ssh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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