CVE-2020-5148Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Firewall bypass via forced NetAPI authentication

Published Mar 5, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Forced authentication in SonicWall Directory Services Connector 4.1.17 and earlier allows remote attackers to capture a privileged NTLM hash. The default client-probing path sends NetAPI requests to an associated IP without establishing that the workstation is trusted. Exposure requires a NetAPI probing option; the resulting service-account authentication can disclose its hash and bypass firewall access controls.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.85%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Forced authentication in SonicWall Directory Services Connector 4.1.17 and earlier allows remote attackers to capture a privileged NTLM hash. The default client-probing path sends NetAPI requests to an associated IP without establishing that the workstation is trusted. Exposure requires a NetAPI probing option; the resulting service-account authentication can disclose its hash and bypass firewall access controls.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-5148
Published
Mar 5, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
SonicWall
Product
Directory Services Connector
Classifications
CWE-287, T1187
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 5, 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

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=4.1.17 and earlier

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

SonicWall · Directory Services Connectorversion=4.1.17 and earlier

Published CVSS scores

8.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N
6.4NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/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.

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication
T1187Forced Authentication

Public exploit references

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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