How severe is CVE-2020-5899?

CVE-2020-5899 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-2020-5899 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (8th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-5899?

CVE-2020-5899 affects F5 Nginx Controller. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-5899?

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-2020-5899 published?

CVE-2020-5899 was published on 2020-07-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-5899

CVE-2020-5899 is a high-severity vulnerability in F5 Nginx Controller 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-312.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 4.6
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (8th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-312
Affected product: F5 Nginx Controller
Published: 2020-07-01
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In NGINX Controller 3.0.0-3.4.0, recovery code required to change a user's password is transmitted and stored in the database in plain text, which allows an attacker who can intercept the database connection or have read access to the database, to request a password reset using the email address of another registered user then retrieve the recovery code.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-5899?: In NGINX Controller 3.0.0-3.4.0, recovery code required to change a user's password is transmitted and stored in the database in plain text, which allows an attacker who can intercept the database connection or have read access to the database, to request a password reset using the email address of another registered user then retrieve the recovery code.
How severe is CVE-2020-5899?: CVE-2020-5899 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-2020-5899 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (8th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-5899?: CVE-2020-5899 affects F5 Nginx Controller. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-5899?: 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-2020-5899 published?: CVE-2020-5899 was published on 2020-07-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K25434422

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:f5:nginx_controller:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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