CVE-2020-16846Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vectorHinoki check available

Code execution via unescaped SSH command parameters

Published Nov 6, 2020 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Command injection in Salt Project Salt 3002 allows remote attackers to execute code via crafted API requests to the SSH client. In salt/client/ssh/shell.py, gen_key interpolates the request-controlled ssh_priv path into an ssh-keygen command and executes it with shell=True. Exploitation requires a reachable Salt API with the SSH client enabled; chaining CVE-2020-25592 bypasses authentication and runs code with salt-api process privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability99.59%
Next 30 days · Nov 1, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Contact us

Summary

What happened

Command injection in Salt Project Salt 3002 allows remote attackers to execute code via crafted API requests to the SSH client. In salt/client/ssh/shell.py, gen_key interpolates the request-controlled ssh_priv path into an ssh-keygen command and executes it with shell=True. Exploitation requires a reachable Salt API with the SSH client enabled; chaining CVE-2020-25592 bypasses authentication and runs code with salt-api process privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-16846
Published
Nov 6, 2020
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Salt Project
Product
Salt
Classifications
CWE-78, T1059.004, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 6, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=n/a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Salt Project · Saltversion=n/a

Published CVSS scores

7.3Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
9.8UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsShadowserver observations through Sep 28, 2026. Gaps indicate unavailable data.
Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
View daily counts
Reporting dayUnique IPs
Sep 22, 20269
Sep 23, 20262
Sep 24, 20268
Sep 25, 202614
Sep 26, 20265
Sep 27, 202617
Sep 28, 202610
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPs10
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1059.004Unix Shell
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Contact us