# What is CVE-2020-15778?

> CVE-2020-15778 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.4) in OpenSSH from OpenBSD, published on 24 July 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 14%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2020-15778

## At a glance

- **Verdict:** Fix this soon. Not confirmed as exploited yet, but serious or likely enough that it should not wait for a quiet month.
- **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 50 out of 100 (Medium); action: Plan remediation. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** High (CVSS 7.4 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:** 14% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 24 July 2020
- **Record last updated:** 28 July 2025
- **Main product:** OpenSSH from OpenBSD
- **Affected products:** 10

## What is CVE-2020-15778? In plain terms

An attacker has to be on the same local network with an ordinary user account, but a person has to take an action first. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

### The official description

scp in OpenSSH through 8.3p1 allows command injection in the scp.c toremote function, as demonstrated by backtick characters in the destination argument. NOTE: the vendor reportedly has stated that they intentionally omit validation of "anomalous argument transfers" because that could "stand a great chance of breaking existing workflows."

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: On the same local network
- How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions
- Login needed first: An ordinary user account
- Does someone have to click: Yes, a person has to take an action
- What an attacker gets: Can read data, change data and take it offline

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

## Is CVE-2020-15778 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 14%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 13%, 13%, 13%, 14%, 14%, 14%, 14%.

### Timeline

- 24 July 2020: Published
- 28 July 2025: Record last updated
- 19 November 2025: Exploit likelihood fell
- 22 November 2025: Exploit likelihood jumped

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2020-15778 scores **50 out of 100 (Medium)**, with the action "Plan remediation".

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-2020-15778?

The published record lists 10 products. Versions are as published: "before 8.3" means every version up to, but not including, 8.3.

- [OpenSSH](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/openbsd/openssh) by [OpenBSD](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/openbsd) (Application): before 8.3, 8.3, 8.3-p1
- [A700s](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/a700s) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Hardware): version not specified
- [A700s Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/netapp/a700s_firmware) by [Netapp](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/netapp) (Operating system): version not specified
- [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
- [Fabric Operating System](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/broadcom/fabric_operating_system) by [Broadcom](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/broadcom) (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
- [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-2020-15778?

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 advisory 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

- [openssh.com](https://www.openssh.com/security.html) (Vendor advisory)
- [access.redhat.com](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:3166) (Third-party advisory)
- [github.com](https://github.com/cpandya2909/CVE-2020-15778/) (Exploit, Third-party advisory)
- [news.ycombinator.com](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25005567) (Third-party advisory)
- [security.gentoo.org](https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202212-06) (Third-party advisory)
- [security.netapp.com](https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200731-0007/) (Third-party advisory)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2020-15778?

CVE-2020-15778 is a high-severity flaw in OpenSSH from OpenBSD, published on 24 July 2020. An attacker has to be on the same local network with an ordinary user account, but a person has to take an action first. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

### How serious is CVE-2020-15778?

It scores 7.4 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2020-15778 is 50 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". Not confirmed as exploited yet, but serious or likely enough that it should not wait for a quiet month.

### Is CVE-2020-15778 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 14%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

### Which versions does CVE-2020-15778 affect?

For OpenSSH from OpenBSD: before 8.3, 8.3, 8.3-p1. The record lists 10 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2020-15778?

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-2020-15778 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.

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