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CVE-2020-7020

Privilege Context Switching Error in Elasticsearch

3.1 LowFix available

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. Search queries do not properly preserve security permissions when executing certain complex queries. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents the attacker should not be able to view. This could result in an attacker gaining additional insight into potentially sensitive indices.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

1.08%Up 0.3 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 3.1

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. Search queries do not properly preserve security permissions when executing certain complex queries. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents the attacker should not be able to view. This could result in an attacker gaining additional insight into potentially sensitive indices.

Record
CVE-2020-7020
CVSS 3.1
3.1 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CVSS 2.0
3.5 LowAV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-270, CWE-269
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. Search queries do not properly preserve security permissions when executing certain complex queries. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents the attacker should not be able to view. This could result in an attacker gaining additional insight into potentially sensitive indices.

Record
CVE-2020-7020
Weakness
CWE-270
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-0657 No score

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. Search queries do not properly preserve security permissions when executing certain complex queries. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents the attacker should not be able to view. This could result in an attacker gaining additional insight into potentially sensitive indices.

Record
EUVD-2021-0657
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-g9fw-9x87-rmrj 3.1

Privilege Context Switching Error in Elasticsearch

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. Search queries do not properly preserve security permissions when executing certain complex queries. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents the attacker should not be able to view. This could result in an attacker gaining additional insight into potentially sensitive indices.

Record
GHSA-g9fw-9x87-rmrj
CVSS 3.1
3.1 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-269, CWE-270
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 3.1

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. Search queries do not properly preserve security permissions when executing certain complex queries. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents the attacker should not be able to view. This could result in an attacker gaining additional insight into potentially sensitive indices.

Record
CVE-2020-7020
CVSS 3.1
3.1 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-g9fw-9x87-rmrj 3.1

Privilege Context Switching Error in Elasticsearch

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. Search queries do not properly preserve security permissions when executing certain complex queries. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents the attacker should not be able to view. This could result in an attacker gaining additional insight into potentially sensitive indices.

Record
GHSA-g9fw-9x87-rmrj
CVSS 3.1
3.1 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-269, CWE-270
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-7020 3.1

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. Search queries do not properly preserve security permissions when executing certain complex queries. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents the attacker should not be able to view. This could result in an attacker gaining additional insight into potentially sensitive indices.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2020-7020
CVSS 3.1
3.1 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBIT-elasticsearch-2020-7020 No score

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. Search queries do not properly preserve security permissions when executing certain complex queries. This could result in the search disclosing the existence of documents the attacker should not be able to view. This could result in an attacker gaining additional insight into potentially sensitive indices.

Record
BIT-elasticsearch-2020-7020
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch
Maven
before 6.8.13
6.8.13
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch
Maven
7.0.0 up to 7.9.2
7.9.2
elasticsearch
Bitnami
before 6.8.13, 7.0.0 up to 7.9.2
6.8.137.9.2
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch
Maven
before 6.8.13, plus listed versions
0.10.00.11.00.12.00.12.10.13.0
Show 45 moreShow less
0.13.10.14.00.14.10.14.20.14.30.14.40.15.00.15.10.15.20.16.00.16.10.16.20.16.30.16.40.16.50.17.00.17.10.17.100.17.20.17.30.17.40.17.50.17.60.17.70.17.80.17.90.18.00.18.10.18.20.18.30.18.40.18.50.18.60.18.70.19.00.19.0.RC10.19.0.RC20.19.0.RC30.19.10.19.100.19.110.19.120.19.20.19.30.19.4
6.8.13
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch
Maven
7.0.0 up to 7.9.2, plus listed versions
7.0.17.1.07.1.17.2.07.2.1
Show 18 moreShow less
7.3.07.3.17.3.27.4.07.4.17.4.27.5.07.5.17.5.27.6.07.6.17.6.27.7.07.7.17.8.07.8.17.9.07.9.1
7.9.2
elasticsearch
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
1.6.2+dfsg-11.7.3+dfsg-11.7.3+dfsg-21.7.3+dfsg-3
None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

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

In short

CVE-2020-7020 is a low vulnerability (CVSS 3.1) in Elastic Elasticsearch, published October 22, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.08%, the 65th percentile. Fixed in org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch 6.8.13.

References

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Left out here: 199 versions. The JSON record has them.

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