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Actively exploited

CVE-2020-16846 SaltStack Salt Shell Injection Vulnerability

SaltStack Salt allows an unauthenticated user with network access to the Salt API to use shell injections to run code on the Salt API using the SSH client. This vulnerability affects any users running the Salt API.

From the CISA KEV catalogue version 2026.11.06, with Cybergen analysis. Updated 6 Nov 2026.

Our Assessment

Should You Worry?

Patch nowCybergen assessment
  • CISA confirmed exploitation in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 3 Nov 2021.
  • Rated Critical severity (CVSS 9.8, scored by CISA).
  • It has been in the catalogue for 1,829 days. Systems still unpatched now have almost certainly been scanned for it.
The Vulnerability

What It Is

An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt through 3002. Sending crafted web requests to the Salt API, with the SSH client enabled, can result in shell injection.

From Watch to Action

What To Do Now

  1. 1

    Find it

    Search your asset inventory and external attack surface for SaltStack Salt. Include cloud images, appliances and anything a supplier runs for you.

    Attack Surface Management
  2. 2

    Fix it

    Apply updates per vendor instructions.

    Vulnerability Management
  3. 3

    Hunt for compromise

    If an affected system was reachable before you patched, assume it may have been hit. Check logs, new accounts, web shells and outbound connections from the date of exposure.

    Incident Response
  4. 4

    Prove it is fixed

    Rescan or test the system after patching. Upgrades that fail silently and forgotten secondary instances are common.

    Penetration Testing

Vendor Advisories

Regulation

The Compliance Clock

Cyber EssentialsRated critical, so if it affects devices in your Cyber Essentials scope, the update must be installed within 14 days of the vendor releasing it.NIS2If exploitation causes a significant incident, essential and important entities owe their CSIRT an early warning within 24 hours and a notification within 72 hours.DORAFinancial entities must classify ICT incidents and send an initial notification for a major incident within strict deadlines, with exploited flaws a common cause.US federal (BOD 22-01)Federal civilian agencies had until 3 May 2022 to remediate. A sensible benchmark for everyone else.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your obligations depend on your sector, scope and jurisdiction.

Stay Ahead

More Exploited SaltStack Flaws

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CVE-2020-11652SaltStack Salt Path Traversal VulnerabilityAdded 3 Nov 2021CVE-2020-11651SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass VulnerabilityAdded 3 Nov 2021

All 3 exploited SaltStack vulnerabilities

Not Sure If You Are Exposed?

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Evidence

Sources

  1. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
  2. NVD: CVE-2020-16846
  3. CVE record: CVE-2020-16846
  4. FIRST EPSS
  5. github.com/saltstack/salt/releases
  6. saltstack.com/blog/on-november-3-2020-saltstack-publicly-disclosed-three-new-cves/
  7. lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/TPOGB2F6XUA
  8. lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-11/msg00029.html
  9. security.gentoo.org/glsa/202011-13
  10. packetstormsecurity.com/files/160039/SaltStack-Salt-REST-API-Arbitrary-Command-Execution.html
  11. zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1381/
  12. zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1383/