CVE-2020-35662Network attack vector

Man-in-the-middle via unvalidated SSL certificates

Published Feb 27, 2021 · Updated Oct 15, 2024

Improper SSL certificate validation in SaltStack Salt before 3002.5 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to read or alter authenticated service traffic. Several Salt runners, returners, proxies, and service-authentication modules failed to validate the remote server certificate by default, allowing an intercepted connection to accept an impostor endpoint. Exploitation requires network interception of a service connection made by an affected module; the documented consequence is disclosure or modification of sensitive traffic.

CVSS severity7.4
High
EPSS probability2.98%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper SSL certificate validation in SaltStack Salt before 3002.5 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to read or alter authenticated service traffic. Several Salt runners, returners, proxies, and service-authentication modules failed to validate the remote server certificate by default, allowing an intercepted connection to accept an impostor endpoint. Exploitation requires network interception of a service connection made by an affected module; the documented consequence is disclosure or modification of sensitive traffic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-35662
Published
Feb 27, 2021
Updated
Oct 15, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-295, T1557
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 27, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 15, 2024Record 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

7.4NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

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.

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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-295Improper Certificate Validation
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle

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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