CVE-2024-20401Network attack vector

Arbitrary file overwrite via crafted email attachment

Published Jul 17, 2024 · Updated Aug 1, 2024

Absolute path traversal in Cisco Secure Email Gateway allows remote attackers to overwrite arbitrary files through a crafted email attachment. The content scanner improperly handles attacker-controlled attachment paths, allowing them to replace files anywhere on the underlying filesystem. Exposure requires file analysis or content filters on an incoming mail policy and Content Scanner Tools before 23.3.0.4823; an overwrite can create root users, execute code, alter configuration, or cause an unrecoverable service interruption.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability2.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Absolute path traversal in Cisco Secure Email Gateway allows remote attackers to overwrite arbitrary files through a crafted email attachment. The content scanner improperly handles attacker-controlled attachment paths, allowing them to replace files anywhere on the underlying filesystem. Exposure requires file analysis or content filters on an incoming mail policy and Content Scanner Tools before 23.3.0.4823; an overwrite can create root users, execute code, alter configuration, or cause an unrecoverable service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-20401
Published
Jul 17, 2024
Updated
Aug 1, 2024
Vendor
ClamAV
Product
Cisco Secure Email
Classifications
CWE-36, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 17, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 1, 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=0 <15.5.1-055
  2. Affected versionversion=N/A

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ClamAV · Cisco Secure Emailversion=0 <15.5.1-055; version=N/A

Published CVSS scores

9.8Cisco Systems, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:X/RL:X/RC:X

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-36Absolute Path Traversal
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

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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