CVE-2020-27225Public exploit

Local application command execution via unauthenticated livehelp requests

Published Mar 9, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Missing authentication in Eclipse Platform 4.18 and earlier allows local users to execute active help commands through its local web server. LiveHelpServlet accepts attacker-chosen plugin IDs, action classes, arguments, and workbench command IDs in GET requests, then passes them to BaseHelpSystem.runLiveHelp without authenticating the requester. The help server must have been started; crafted loopback requests can shut down the application or invoke state-changing editor and workbench actions.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.34%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Missing authentication in Eclipse Platform 4.18 and earlier allows local users to execute active help commands through its local web server. LiveHelpServlet accepts attacker-chosen plugin IDs, action classes, arguments, and workbench command IDs in GET requests, then passes them to BaseHelpSystem.runLiveHelp without authenticating the requester. The help server must have been started; crafted loopback requests can shut down the application or invoke state-changing editor and workbench actions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-27225
Published
Mar 9, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
The Eclipse Foundation
Product
Eclipse Platform
Classifications
CWE-306, CAPEC-62, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 9, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record 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=unspecified <=4.18

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Eclipse Foundation · Eclipse Platformversion=unspecified <=4.18

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-306Missing Authentication for Critical Function
CAPEC-62Cross Site Request Forgery
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo