# What is CVE-2020-14145?

> CVE-2020-14145 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 5.9) in OpenSSH from OpenBSD, published on 29 June 2020. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 2.9%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2020-14145

## At a glance

- **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.
- **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 30 out of 100 (Low); action: Monitor. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** Medium (CVSS 5.9 out of 10)
- **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today
- **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 2.9% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 29 June 2020
- **Record last updated:** 28 April 2022
- **Main product:** OpenSSH from OpenBSD
- **Affected products:** 10

## What is CVE-2020-14145? In plain terms

It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data.

### The official description

The client side in OpenSSH 5.7 through 8.4 has an Observable Discrepancy leading to an information leak in the algorithm negotiation. This allows man-in-the-middle attackers to target initial connection attempts (where no host key for the server has been cached by the client). NOTE: some reports state that 8.5 and 8.6 are also affected.

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-203: Observable Discrepancy

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet
- How hard it is to pull off: Hard: conditions must line up
- Login needed first: No login needed
- Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker gets: Can read data

Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`

## Is CVE-2020-14145 being exploited? Not that we know of

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 2.9%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 2.1%, 2.1%, 2.1%, 2.9%, 2.9%, 2.9%, 2.9%.

### Timeline

- 29 June 2020: Published
- 28 April 2022: Record last updated

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2020-14145 scores **30 out of 100 (Low)**, with the action "Monitor".

Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less:

- Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor
- How severe it is: strong factor
- How widely exposed it is: smaller factor
- Threat activity around it: smaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

## Who is affected by CVE-2020-14145?

The published record lists 10 products. Versions are as published: "5.7 to before 8.4" means from 5.7 up to, but not including, 8.4.

- [OpenSSH](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/openbsd/openssh) by [OpenBSD](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/openbsd) (Application): 5.7 to before 8.4, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6
- [Active Iq Unified Manager](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/active_iq_unified_manager) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): 9.5 and later
- [Aff A700s](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/aff_a700s) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Aff A700s Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/aff_a700s_firmware) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Operating system): version not specified
- [Hci Compute Node](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/hci_compute_node) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Hci Management Node](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/hci_management_node) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Hci Storage Node](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/hci_storage_node) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Ontap Select Deploy Administration Utility](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Solidfire](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/solidfire) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified
- [Steelstore Cloud Integrated Storage](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/steelstore_cloud_integrated_storage) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Application): version not specified

## How do I fix CVE-2020-14145?

1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisories and patch notes first in the list.
3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

### References

- [openwall.com](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/12/02/1) (Mailing list, Patch, Third-party advisory)
- [anongit.mindrot.org](https://anongit.mindrot.org/openssh.git/commit/?id=b3855ff053f5078ec3d3c653cdaedefaa5fc362d) (Patch, Third-party advisory)
- [github.com](https://github.com/openssh/openssh-portable/compare/V_8_3_P1...V_8_4_P1) (Patch, Third-party advisory)
- [docs.ssh-mitm.at](https://docs.ssh-mitm.at/CVE-2020-14145.html) (Third-party advisory)
- [github.com](https://github.com/ssh-mitm/ssh-mitm/blob/master/ssh_proxy_server/plugins/session/cve202014145.py) (Third-party advisory)
- [security.gentoo.org](https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202105-35) (Third-party advisory)
- [security.netapp.com](https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200709-0004/) (Third-party advisory)
- [fzi.de](https://www.fzi.de/en/news/news/detail-en/artikel/fsa-2020-2-ausnutzung-eines-informationslecks-fuer-gezielte-mitm-angriffe-auf-ssh-clients/) (Third-party advisory)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2020-14145?

CVE-2020-14145 is a medium-severity flaw in OpenSSH from OpenBSD, published on 29 June 2020. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data.

### How serious is CVE-2020-14145?

It scores 5.9 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2020-14145 is 30 out of 100, which is Low. Its action is "Monitor". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.

### Is CVE-2020-14145 being exploited?

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 2.9%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

### Which versions does CVE-2020-14145 affect?

For OpenSSH from OpenBSD: 5.7 to before 8.4, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6. The record lists 10 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2020-14145?

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

## Does CVE-2020-14145 affect you?

Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you:

- **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.

Start free (no card, nothing to install): https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register
Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact

