How severe is CVE-2020-8595?

CVE-2020-8595 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability low.

Is CVE-2020-8595 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (84th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-8595?

CVE-2020-8595 primarily affects Istio. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-8595?

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-2020-8595 published?

CVE-2020-8595 was published on 2020-02-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-8595

CVE-2020-8595 is a high-severity vulnerability in Istio with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3. 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-287.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.3)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 3% (84th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-287
Affected product: Istio
Published: 2020-02-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Istio versions 1.2.10 (End of Life) and prior, 1.3 through 1.3.7, and 1.4 through 1.4.3 allows authentication bypass. The Authentication Policy exact-path matching logic can allow unauthorized access to HTTP paths even if they are configured to be only accessed after presenting a valid JWT token. For example, an attacker can add a ? or # character to a URI that would otherwise satisfy an exact-path match.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-8595?: Istio versions 1.2.10 (End of Life) and prior, 1.3 through 1.3.7, and 1.4 through 1.4.3 allows authentication bypass. The Authentication Policy exact-path matching logic can allow unauthorized access to HTTP paths even if they are configured to be only accessed after presenting a valid JWT token. For example, an attacker can add a ? or # character to a URI that would otherwise satisfy an exact-path match.
How severe is CVE-2020-8595?: CVE-2020-8595 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.3, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability low.
Is CVE-2020-8595 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (84th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-8595?: CVE-2020-8595 primarily affects Istio. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-8595?: 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-2020-8595 published?: CVE-2020-8595 was published on 2020-02-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:istio:istio:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:openshift_service_mesh:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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