CVE-2020-8172Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Certificate verification bypass via premature TLS session caching

Published Jun 8, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Certificate validation in Node.js 12.x before 12.18.0 and 14.x before 14.4.0 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to bypass TLS hostname checks. The TLS layer emits the session event before secureConnect, allowing an unauthorized connection's session ticket to be cached and reused as authorized. Exploitation requires an application that saves or automatically caches TLS sessions, including the built-in HTTPS agent, and permits interception of the initial connection.

CVSS severity7.4
High
EPSS probability6.07%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Certificate validation in Node.js 12.x before 12.18.0 and 14.x before 14.4.0 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to bypass TLS hostname checks. The TLS layer emits the session event before secureConnect, allowing an unauthorized connection's session ticket to be cached and reused as authorized. Exploitation requires an application that saves or automatically caches TLS sessions, including the built-in HTTPS agent, and permits interception of the initial connection.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-8172
Published
Jun 8, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Node.js
Product
Node.js
Classifications
CWE-295, T1557
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 8, 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=12.18.0,14.4.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Node.js · Node.jsversion=12.18.0,14.4.0

Published CVSS scores

7.4NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
5.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/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-295Improper Certificate Validation
T1557Adversary-in-the-Middle

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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