HIGH CVSS 8.2
Published: 2021-03-05

CVE-2020-5148

sonicwall directory_services_connector Security Advisory (CVE-2020-5148)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2020-5148 impacting sonicwall directory_services_connector. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 8.2 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
SonicWall SSO-agent default configuration uses NetAPI to probe the associated IP's in the network, this client probing method allows a potential attacker to capture the password hash of the privileged user and potentially forces the SSO Agent to authenticate allowing an attacker to bypass firewall access controls.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product sonicwall / directory_services_connector
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-287

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2020-5148 impacting sonicwall directory_services_connector.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2020-5148.yaml
id: cve-2020-5148

info:
  name: sonicwall directory_services_connector - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2020-5148 affecting sonicwall directory_services_connector.
    Evaluation: SonicWall SSO-agent default configuration uses NetAPI to probe the associated IP's in the network, this client probing method allows a potential ...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2020-5148
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N
    cvss-score: 8.2
    cve-id: CVE-2020-5148
    cwe-id: CWE-287
  tags: cve,cve-2020-5148,sonicwall,directory_services_connec,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "directory_services_connector"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2020-5148.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2020-5148
# Target: sonicwall directory_services_connector | CVSS: 8.2 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2020-5148 (sonicwall directory_services_connector)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against sonicwall directory_services_connector scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2020-5148.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2020-5148
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install directory_services_connec 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade directory_services_connec 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update directory_services_connec

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i directory_services_connec 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i directory_services_connec

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

🔗 Verified Technical References

Authorities
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Distributions
  • No records filed in this category.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2020-5148 in sonicwall directory_services_connector?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update sonicwall directory_services_connector packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2020-5148?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2020-5148?

CVE-2020-5148 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 8.2 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
8.2
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2020-5148
Weakness CWE-287
Vendor sonicwall
Product directory_services_connector
Published 2021-03-05
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N