CVE-2020-7009Network attack vector

Privilege escalation via API key privilege assignment

Published Mar 31, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Elasticsearch 6.7.0 through 6.8.7 and 7.0.0 through 7.6.1 allows remote authenticated users who can create API keys to gain elevated privileges. The API-key security flow accepts a newly generated key through a sequence that assigns privileges exceeding the creator's authorization. Exploitation requires API-key creation rights; successful abuse lets the attacker use the elevated key for unauthorized data access, modification, or service disruption.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability1.60%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Elasticsearch 6.7.0 through 6.8.7 and 7.0.0 through 7.6.1 allows remote authenticated users who can create API keys to gain elevated privileges. The API-key security flow accepts a newly generated key through a sequence that assigns privileges exceeding the creator's authorization. Exploitation requires API-key creation rights; successful abuse lets the attacker use the elevated key for unauthorized data access, modification, or service disruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-7009
Published
Mar 31, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Elastic
Product
Elasticsearch
Classifications
CWE-266, CWE-269, T1098
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 31, 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=All versions from 6.7.0 before 6.8.8 and 7.0.0 before 7.6.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Elastic · Elasticsearchversion=All versions from 6.7.0 before 6.8.8 and 7.0.0 before 7.6.2

Published CVSS scores

8.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.7ElasticCVSS:3.0/AV:A/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
6.5NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-266Incorrect Privilege Assignment
CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1098Account Manipulation

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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