Every CVE Search/ Get API key

CVE-2020-3433

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows DLL Hijacking Vulnerability

7.8 HighIn KEVPublic exploit

A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

10.0%Down 6.3 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.8

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows DLL Hijacking Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system.

Record
CVE-2020-3433
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-427
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-24704 7.8

A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system.

Record
EUVD-2020-24704
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-v63m-wv25-vhmp 7.8

A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure...

A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system.

Record
GHSA-v63m-wv25-vhmp
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-427
Updated
2026-11-02
CISA KEV No score

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows DLL Hijacking Vulnerability

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows interprocess communication (IPC) channel allows for insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker with valid credentials on Windows could execute code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges.

Record
CVE-2020-3433
Weakness
CWE-427
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 7.8

A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system.

Record
CVE-2020-3433
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
7.2 HighAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Weakness
CWE-427
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Public exploits

Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.

Public exploits
SourceLinkDate
MetasploitCisco AnyConnect Privilege Escalations (CVE-2020-3153 and CVE-2020-3433)2020-08-05
PoC in GitHubgoichot/CVE-2020-34332020-09-25

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
exploitation
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, CISA KEV, Metasploit, NVD, PoC in GitHub

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-3433 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Cisco Anyconnect Secure, published August 17, 2020. CISA lists it as known to be exploited, since October 24, 2022. EUVD reports exploitation since October 24, 2022. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 10.0%, the 95th percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

MoveEnter Open