CVE-2020-3153: Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path Vulnerability

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Name

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path Vulnerability

Vendor

Cisco

Product

AnyConnect Secure

Added to the catalog

2022-10-24

Due date for US federal agencies

2022-11-14

Weaknesses

CWE-427

Catalog version

2026.10.30

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows allows for incorrect handling of directory paths. An attacker with valid credentials on Windows would be able to copy malicious files to arbitrary locations with system level privileges. This could include DLL pre-loading, DLL hijacking, and other related attacks.

Required action (CISA)

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Ransomware use: CISA marks this vulnerability as known to be used in ransomware campaigns. CISA does not say which group used it.

Links in CISA's notes

• https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj
• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3153

Read on 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z under licence cisa-kev-cc0@b0067899 from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

NVD analysis

Status

Analyzed

Published

2020-02-19T20:15:15.113

Last modified

2026-08-12T05:17:29.713

Weaknesses

CWE-427

A vulnerability in the installer component of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated local attacker to copy user-supplied files to system level directories with system level privileges. The vulnerability is due to the incorrect handling of directory paths. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a malicious file and copying the file to a system directory. An exploit could allow the attacker to copy malicious files to arbitrary locations with system level privileges. This could include DLL pre-loading, DLL hijacking, and other related attacks. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs valid credentials on the Windows system.

References

• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157340/Cisco-AnyConnect-Secure-Mobility-Client-4.8.01090-Privilege-Escalation.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158219/Cisco-AnyConnect-Path-Traversal-Privilege-Escalation.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159420/Cisco-AnyConnect-Privilege-Escalation.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Apr/43 (Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
• https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj (Vendor Advisory)
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157340/Cisco-AnyConnect-Secure-Mobility-Client-4.8.01090-Privilege-Escalation.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158219/Cisco-AnyConnect-Path-Traversal-Privilege-Escalation.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159420/Cisco-AnyConnect-Privilege-Escalation.html (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Apr/43 (Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
• https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj (Vendor Advisory)
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-3153 (US Government Resource)

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

Read on 2026-11-02T23:41:43.468Z under licence nvd-api-terms-of-use@ff2a5288 from https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2020-3153

CVE record

Title (CNA)

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path Vulnerability

Assigner

cisco

State

PUBLISHED

Published

2020-02-19T19:15:53.412Z

Updated

2026-08-12T03:55:40.632Z

Problem types

CWE-427

A vulnerability in the installer component of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated local attacker to copy user-supplied files to system level directories with system level privileges. The vulnerability is due to the incorrect handling of directory paths. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a malicious file and copying the file to a system directory. An exploit could allow the attacker to copy malicious files to arbitrary locations with system level privileges. This could include DLL pre-loading, DLL hijacking, and other related attacks. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs valid credentials on the Windows system.

References

• 20200219 Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path Vulnerability
• 20200421 Cisco AnyConnect elevation of privileges due to insecure handling of path names
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157340/Cisco-AnyConnect-Secure-Mobility-Client-4.8.01090-Privilege-Escalation.html
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158219/Cisco-AnyConnect-Path-Traversal-Privilege-Escalation.html
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159420/Cisco-AnyConnect-Privilege-Escalation.html

Read on 2026-11-03T01:04:23.622Z under licence cve-terms-of-use@81bfa2f3 from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2020/3xxx/CVE-2020-3153.json

Defensive techniques (MITRE D3FEND)

D3FEND maps these defensive techniques to the weakness (CWE) that NVD lists for this CVE, through the digital artifacts the weakness affects. D3FEND does not say they stop this vulnerability.

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