CVE-2020-7621Network attack vector

Unauthenticated command execution via crafted NGINX arguments

Published Apr 2, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Command injection in IBM StrongLoop NGINX Controller 1.0.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary OS commands. The _nginxCmd() function accepts specially crafted arguments without sufficient input validation and incorporates them into an NGINX command invocation. No authentication or user interaction is required, and successful exploitation runs commands with the controller process's privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability3.02%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in IBM StrongLoop NGINX Controller 1.0.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary OS commands. The _nginxCmd() function accepts specially crafted arguments without sufficient input validation and incorporates them into an NGINX command invocation. No authentication or user interaction is required, and successful exploitation runs commands with the controller process's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-7621
Published
Apr 2, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
StrongLoop NGINX Controller
Classifications
CWE-78, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 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=All versions including 1.0.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · StrongLoop NGINX Controllerversion=All versions including 1.0.2

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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