Vulnerability · CVE-2020-3153
Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path Vulnerability
Published Feb 19, 2020 · catalog updated Aug 11, 2026 · Cisco AnyConnect Secure
Patch now
CVE-2020-3153 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Nov 14, 2022. Confirm Cisco AnyConnect Secure against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.
Gaps on this record
- No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
- Severity
- Medium6.5
- Known exploitation
- CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV
- EPSS
- 28.31%
- Remediation
- Remediation guidance
- Affected products
- cpe cisco/anyconnect secure mobility client · vendor Cisco AnyConnect Secure
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.
Are you affected?
Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.
The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.
- cpe cisco/anyconnect secure mobility clientversion unspecified
- vendor Cisco AnyConnect Secureversion unspecified
How to fix CVE-2020-3153
Recommended remediation
Apply updates per vendor instructions. CISA due date Nov 14, 2022.
Official advisories
What to do
Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.
Should you patch?
CVE-2020-3153 is in the CISA known-exploited catalog, due Nov 14, 2022. Confirm Cisco AnyConnect Secure against the vendor advisory and apply that fix. The CVSS score does not change the priority.
Which versions are affected?
Affected version ranges are not on this record. Apply updates per vendor instructions.
What should an analyst verify?
CWE-427: Uncontrolled Search Path Element. EPSS 28.31%. The CISA KEV listing is the exploitation evidence. A public exploit reference is linked in Sources. That is not the same as confirmed exploitation. Use the source links for the original advisory.
Technology hubs
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
No public source repository is identified for this product.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Feb 19, 2020 · Catalog
Detected
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 s
Oct 24, 2022 · CISA KEV
Known exploited
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Nov 14, 2022 · CISA KEV
Remediation due
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Aug 11, 2026 · Catalog
Updated
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 s
Sources
- CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2020-3153
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.
cisa.gov - CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2020-3153
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2020-3153
30-day exploitation probability 28.3%
first.org - Metasploit ModulesPublic exploit moduleexploit_windows/local/anyconnect_lpe
Public module reference (excellent). Module source is not copied into this catalog.
rapid7.com - NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2020-3153
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 o
nvd.nist.gov - Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157340/Cisco-AnyConnect-Secure-Mobility-Client-4.8.01090-Privilege-Escalation.html
Packet Storm link already published on the finding.
packetstormsecurity.com - Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158219/Cisco-AnyConnect-Path-Traversal-Privilege-Escalation.html
Packet Storm link already published on the finding.
packetstormsecurity.com - Packet Storm SecurityCited referencehttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159420/Cisco-AnyConnect-Privilege-Escalation.html
Packet Storm link already published on the finding.
packetstormsecurity.com - VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2020-3153
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 h
vulncheck.com
References
Freshness
Last verified in this catalog Oct 17, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.