How severe is CVE-2020-5837?

CVE-2020-5837 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-2020-5837 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-5837?

CVE-2020-5837 affects Symantec Endpoint Protection. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-5837?

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-2020-5837 published?

CVE-2020-5837 was published on 2020-05-11 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-5837

CVE-2020-5837 is a high-severity vulnerability in Symantec Endpoint Protection with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-59.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 4.6
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (50th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Symantec Endpoint Protection
Published: 2020-05-11
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Symantec Endpoint Protection, prior to 14.3, may not respect file permissions when writing to log files that are replaced by symbolic links, which can lead to a potential elevation of privilege.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-5837?: Symantec Endpoint Protection, prior to 14.3, may not respect file permissions when writing to log files that are replaced by symbolic links, which can lead to a potential elevation of privilege.
How severe is CVE-2020-5837?: CVE-2020-5837 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-2020-5837 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-5837?: CVE-2020-5837 affects Symantec Endpoint Protection. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-5837?: 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-2020-5837 published?: CVE-2020-5837 was published on 2020-05-11 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://support.broadcom.com/security-advisory/security-advisory-detail.html?notificationId=SYMSA1762

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:symantec:endpoint_protection:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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