CVE-2020-6794

Stored-password disclosure via retained legacy encryption key

Published Mar 2, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Cleartext credential storage in Mozilla Thunderbird before 68.5 allows local users to read saved passwords from a legacy key file. During migration from key3.db to key4.db, Thunderbird leaves key3.db on disk and applies a newly set master password only to key4.db. Exposure requires passwords saved before Thunderbird 60, a later master-password setup, and access to the affected user's profile files.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.02%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cleartext credential storage in Mozilla Thunderbird before 68.5 allows local users to read saved passwords from a legacy key file. During migration from key3.db to key4.db, Thunderbird leaves key3.db on disk and applies a newly set master password only to key4.db. Exposure requires passwords saved before Thunderbird 60, a later master-password setup, and access to the affected user's profile files.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-6794
Published
Mar 2, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Mozilla
Product
Thunderbird
Classifications
CWE-312, CWE-522, CWE-459, T1555
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 2, 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=unspecified <68.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Mozilla · Thunderbirdversion=unspecified <68.5

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/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)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-312Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information
CWE-522Insufficiently Protected Credentials
CWE-459Incomplete Cleanup
T1555Credentials from Password Stores

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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