CVE-2020-21487Network attack vector

Browser code execution via unencoded renewal output

Published Apr 4, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Stored cross-site scripting in Netgate pfSense 2.4.4 with ACME 0.6.3 allows remote attackers to execute browser code via a crafted RootFolder value. The ACME issue and renewal path passes output containing that value to jQuery.html(), which interprets attacker-supplied markup as HTML. Exploitation requires user interaction with the affected certificate workflow and exposes the operator's web-interface session.

CVSS severity9.6
Critical
EPSS probability0.67%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stored cross-site scripting in Netgate pfSense 2.4.4 with ACME 0.6.3 allows remote attackers to execute browser code via a crafted RootFolder value. The ACME issue and renewal path passes output containing that value to jQuery.html(), which interprets attacker-supplied markup as HTML. Exploitation requires user interaction with the affected certificate workflow and exposes the operator's web-interface session.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-21487
Published
Apr 4, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-79, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 4, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.6CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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