CVE-2020-4045
Information disclosure in SSB-DB
SSB-DB version 20.0.0 has an information disclosure vulnerability. The get() method is supposed to only decrypt messages when you explicitly ask it to, but there is a bug where it's decrypting any message that it can. This means that it is returning the decrypted content of private messages, which a malicious peer could use to get access to private data. This only affects peers running [email protected] who also have private messages, and is only known to be exploitable if you're also running SSB-OOO (default in SSB-Server), which exposes a thin wrapper around get() to anonymous peers. This is fixed in version 20.0.1. Note that users of SSB-Server verion 16.0.0 should upgrade to 16.0.1 to get the fixed version of SSB-DB.
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
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Information disclosure in SSB-DB
SSB-DB version 20.0.0 has an information disclosure vulnerability. The get() method is supposed to only decrypt messages when you explicitly ask it to, but there is a bug where it's decrypting any message that it can. This means that it is returning the decrypted content of private messages, which a malicious peer could use to get access to private data. This only affects peers running [email protected] who also have private messages, and is only known to be exploitable if you're also running SSB-OOO (default in SSB-Server), which exposes a thin wrapper around get() to anonymous peers. This is fixed in version 20.0.1. Note that users of SSB-Server verion 16.0.0 should upgrade to 16.0.1 to get the fixed version of SSB-DB.
- Record
CVE-2020-4045- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-0501
SSB-DB version 20.0.0 has an information disclosure vulnerability. The get() method is supposed to only decrypt messages when you explicitly ask it to, but there is a bug where it's decrypting any message that it can. This means that it is returning the decrypted content of private messages, which a malicious peer could use to get access to private data. This only affects peers running [email protected] who also have private messages, and is only known to be exploitable if you're also running SSB-OOO (default in SSB-Server), which exposes a thin wrapper around get() to anonymous peers. This is fixed in version 20.0.1. Note that users of SSB-Server verion 16.0.0 should upgrade to 16.0.1 to get the fixed version of SSB-DB.
- Record
EUVD-2020-0501- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-mpgr-2cx9-327h
Information disclosure in SSB-DB
Impact
What kind of vulnerability is it? Who is impacted?
Servers running SSB-DB 20.0.0 (which is packaged with SSB-Server 16.0.0) must upgrade immediately.
There is no evidence that other SSB apps are vulnerable or that this problem has been exploited in the wild.
The get() method is supposed to only decrypt messages when you explicitly ask it to, but there's a bug where it's decrypting any message that it can. This means that it's returning the decrypted content of private messages, which a malicious peer could use to get access to private data. This only affects peers running [email protected] who also have private messages, and is only known to be exploitable if you're also running SSB-OOO (default in SSB-Server), which exposes a thin wrapper around get() to anonymous peers.
Patches
Has the problem been patched? What versions should users upgrade to?
Yes, please upgrade to SSB-DB 20.0.1 (or SSB-Server 16.0.1) immediately.
Workarounds
Is there a way for users to fix or remediate the vulnerability without upgrading?
You may be able to disable the most obvious attack vector, SSB-OOO, by disabling the plugin, but you should upgrade immediately anyway.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, open an issue in SSB-DB
- Record
GHSA-mpgr-2cx9-327h- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
SSB-DB version 20.0.0 has an information disclosure vulnerability. The get() method is supposed to only decrypt messages when you explicitly ask it to, but there is a bug where it's decrypting any message that it can. This means that it is returning the decrypted content of private messages, which a malicious peer could use to get access to private data. This only affects peers running [email protected] who also have private messages, and is only known to be exploitable if you're also running SSB-OOO (default in SSB-Server), which exposes a thin wrapper around get() to anonymous peers. This is fixed in version 20.0.1. Note that users of SSB-Server verion 16.0.0 should upgrade to 16.0.1 to get the fixed version of SSB-DB.
- Record
CVE-2020-4045- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
SSB-DB version 20.0.0 has an information disclosure vulnerability. The get() method is supposed to only decrypt messages when you explicitly ask it to, but there is a bug where it's decrypting any message that it can. This means that it is returning the decrypted content of private messages, which a malicious peer could use to get access to private data. This only affects peers running [email protected] who also have private messages, and is only known to be exploitable if you're also running SSB-OOO (default in SSB-Server), which exposes a thin wrapper around get() to anonymous peers. This is fixed in version 20.0.1. Note that users of SSB-Server verion 16.0.0 should upgrade to 16.0.1 to get the fixed version of SSB-DB.
- Record
CVE-2020-4045- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-mpgr-2cx9-327h
Information disclosure in SSB-DB
Impact
What kind of vulnerability is it? Who is impacted?
Servers running SSB-DB 20.0.0 (which is packaged with SSB-Server 16.0.0) must upgrade immediately.
There is no evidence that other SSB apps are vulnerable or that this problem has been exploited in the wild.
The get() method is supposed to only decrypt messages when you explicitly ask it to, but there's a bug where it's decrypting any message that it can. This means that it's returning the decrypted content of private messages, which a malicious peer could use to get access to private data. This only affects peers running [email protected] who also have private messages, and is only known to be exploitable if you're also running SSB-OOO (default in SSB-Server), which exposes a thin wrapper around get() to anonymous peers.
Patches
Has the problem been patched? What versions should users upgrade to?
Yes, please upgrade to SSB-DB 20.0.1 (or SSB-Server 16.0.1) immediately.
Workarounds
Is there a way for users to fix or remediate the vulnerability without upgrading?
You may be able to disable the most obvious attack vector, SSB-OOO, by disabling the plugin, but you should upgrade immediately anyway.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory, open an issue in SSB-DB
- Record
GHSA-mpgr-2cx9-327h- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-200
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2020-4045 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Scuttlebutt Ssb-db, published June 11, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.28%, the 70th percentile. Fixed in ssb-db 20.0.1.