CVE-2020-5206Network attack vector

Authentication bypass via invalid persistent-login cookie

Published Jan 30, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper authentication in Opencast before 7.6 and in 8.0 allows remote attackers to access non-public content via a forged persistent-login cookie. SecurityServiceSpringImpl.getUser() trusts a username left in the request context by an invalid persistent-login cookie and fails to reject AnonymousAuthenticationToken. Remote attackers can therefore impersonate users such as the global administrator and read non-public search-service content when the endpoint permits anonymous access.

CVSS severity8.7
High
EPSS probability1.29%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper authentication in Opencast before 7.6 and in 8.0 allows remote attackers to access non-public content via a forged persistent-login cookie. SecurityServiceSpringImpl.getUser() trusts a username left in the request context by an invalid persistent-login cookie and fails to reject AnonymousAuthenticationToken. Remote attackers can therefore impersonate users such as the global administrator and read non-public search-service content when the endpoint permits anonymous access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-5206
Published
Jan 30, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Opencast
Product
Opencast
Classifications
CWE-285, CWE-287, T1550.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 30, 2020CVE 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=< 7.6
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 8.0, < 8.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Opencast · Opencastversion=< 7.6; version=>= 8.0, < 8.1

Published CVSS scores

8.7NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/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.

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-285Improper Authorization
CWE-287Improper Authentication
T1550.004Use Alternate Authentication Material: Web Cookies

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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