CVE-2020-4214Network attack vector

Arbitrary directory deletion via unchecked path

Published Mar 31, 2020 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Improper input validation in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0 through 10.1.5 allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary directories via network requests. The Administrative Console Framework service uses a user-supplied path in file operations without proper validation, so unauthenticated remote attackers can delete directories as root, affecting integrity while leaving confidentiality and availability unchanged.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.63%
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

Improper input validation in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0 through 10.1.5 allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary directories via network requests. The Administrative Console Framework service uses a user-supplied path in file operations without proper validation, so unauthenticated remote attackers can delete directories as root, affecting integrity while leaving confidentiality and availability unchanged.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-4214
Published
Mar 31, 2020
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM Spectrum Protect Plus
Classifications
CWE-20
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 31, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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=10.1.0
  2. Affected versionversion=10.1.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM Spectrum Protect Plusversion=10.1.0; version=10.1.5

Published CVSS scores

7.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
7.5IBM CorporationCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
6.4NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P

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-20Improper Input Validation

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

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