CVE-2020-11989
Improper Authentication in Apache Shiro
Apache Shiro before 1.5.3, when using Apache Shiro with Spring dynamic controllers, a specially crafted request may cause an authentication bypass.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
Apache Shiro before 1.5.3, when using Apache Shiro with Spring dynamic controllers, a specially crafted request may cause an authentication bypass.
- Record
CVE-2020-11989- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.5 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
Apache Shiro before 1.5.3, when using Apache Shiro with Spring dynamic controllers, a specially crafted request may cause an authentication bypass.
- Record
CVE-2020-11989- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-0981 No score
Apache Shiro before 1.5.3, when using Apache Shiro with Spring dynamic controllers, a specially crafted request may cause an authentication bypass.
- Record
EUVD-2021-0981- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-72w9-fcj5-3fcg
Improper Authentication in Apache Shiro
Apache Shiro is a powerful and easy-to-use Java security framework that performs authentication, authorization, cryptography, and session management. Apache Shiro before 1.5.3, when using Apache Shiro with Spring dynamic controllers, a specially crafted request may cause an authentication bypass.
- Record
GHSA-72w9-fcj5-3fcg- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Apache Shiro before 1.5.3, when using Apache Shiro with Spring dynamic controllers, a specially crafted request may cause an authentication bypass.
- Record
CVE-2020-11989- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2020-11989
Apache Shiro before 1.5.3, when using Apache Shiro with Spring dynamic controllers, a specially crafted request may cause an authentication bypass.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2020-11989- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-72w9-fcj5-3fcg
Improper Authentication in Apache Shiro
Apache Shiro is a powerful and easy-to-use Java security framework that performs authentication, authorization, cryptography, and session management. Apache Shiro before 1.5.3, when using Apache Shiro with Spring dynamic controllers, a specially crafted request may cause an authentication bypass.
- Record
GHSA-72w9-fcj5-3fcg- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-11989
Apache Shiro before 1.5.3, when using Apache Shiro with Spring dynamic controllers, a specially crafted request may cause an authentication bypass.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2020-11989- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUSN-4740-1 No score
shiro vulnerabilities
It was discovered that Apache Shiro mishandled specially crafted requests. An attacker could use this vulnerability to bypass authentication mechanisms.
- Record
USN-4740-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
org.apache.shiro:shiro-coreMaven |
before 1.5.3 | 1.5.3 |
shiroDebian:12 |
before 1.3.2-5 | 1.3.2-5 |
shiroDebian:13 |
before 1.3.2-5 | 1.3.2-5 |
shiroDebian:14 |
before 1.3.2-5 | 1.3.2-5 |
shiroDebian:9 |
before 1.3.2-1+deb9u1, plus listed versions 1.3.2-1 |
1.3.2-1+deb9u1 |
org.apache.shiro:shiro-coreMaven |
before 1.5.3, plus listed versions 1.0.0-incubating1.1.01.2.01.2.11.2.2 Show 14 moreShow less1.2.31.2.41.2.51.2.61.3.01.3.11.3.21.4.01.4.0-RC21.4.11.4.21.5.01.5.11.5.2 |
1.5.3 |
shiroUbuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.2.4-11.2.4-1ubuntu0.1~esm11.2.4-1ubuntu0.1~esm2 |
None known |
shiroUbuntu:18.04:LTS |
before 1.3.2-3~18.04.1, plus listed versions 1.3.2-21.3.2-3~18.04 |
1.3.2-3~18.04.1 |
shiroUbuntu:20.04:LTS |
before 1.3.2-4ubuntu0.1, plus listed versions 1.3.2-4 |
1.3.2-4ubuntu0.1 |
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | HYWZ36/HYWZ36-CVE-2020-11989-code | 2020-10-18 |
| PoC in GitHub | cuijiung/shiro-CVE-2020-11989 | 2025-07-11 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2020-11989 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Apache Shiro, published June 22, 2020. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 24.4%, the 97th percentile. Fixed in org.apache.shiro:shiro-core 1.5.3.
References
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r72815a124a119c450b86189767d06848e0d380b1795c6c511d54a675%40%3Cuser.shiro.apache.org%3E
Show 17 moreShow less
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11989
github.com/advisories/GHSA-72w9-fcj5-3fcg
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2020-11989
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-11989
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/06/22/1
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11989