Root command execution via unrestricted nmap scripts
Published Feb 6, 2020 · Updated Oct 21, 2025
Privilege escalation in EyesOfNetwork 5.1 through 5.3 allows local users to execute arbitrary commands as root through a crafted NSE script. The default sudoers entry permits the apache account to invoke /usr/bin/nmap without a password, and nmap loads attacker-written NSE code with root privileges. Exploitation requires control of the apache service account and grants complete host control; a public exploit chains web-interface flaws to obtain that context remotely.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in EyesOfNetwork 5.1 through 5.3 allows local users to execute arbitrary commands as root through a crafted NSE script. The default sudoers entry permits the apache account to invoke /usr/bin/nmap without a password, and nmap loads attacker-written NSE code with root privileges. Exploitation requires control of the apache service account and grants complete host control; a public exploit chains web-interface flaws to obtain that context remotely.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-8655
- Published
- Feb 6, 2020
- Updated
- Oct 21, 2025
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1548.003
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 6, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
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.
Public exploit references
- EyesOfNetwork AutoDiscovery RCE Metasploit modulefunctional · demonstrated
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Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog listingknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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