CVE-2020-11651

CRITICAL KEV

SaltStack Salt <2019.2.4,3000.2 - RCE

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

CVE-2020-11651 is actively exploited and listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added November 3, 2021. EIP tracks 17 public exploits from researchers including jasperla, rossengeorgiev, dozernz, including a Metasploit module auxiliary/gather/saltstack_salt_root_key.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This is a functional proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652, targeting SaltStack's authentication bypass and arbitrary command execution vulnerabilities. It demonstrates filesystem access, command scheduling on master/minions, and file upload capabilities.

Description

An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt before 2019.2.4 and 3000 before 3000.2. The salt-master process ClearFuncs class does not properly validate method calls. This allows a remote user to access some methods without authentication. These methods can be used to retrieve user tokens from the salt master and/or run arbitrary commands on salt minions.

Exploits (17)

nomisec WORKING POC 121 stars
by jasperla · remote
https://github.com/jasperla/CVE-2020-11651-poc

This is a functional proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652, targeting SaltStack's authentication bypass and arbitrary command execution vulnerabilities. It demonstrates filesystem access, command scheduling on master/minions, and file upload capabilities.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Rce | Auth Bypass
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt (versions < 3000.2, 2019.2.4, 2019.2.5)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to Salt master (port 4506) · Python 2/3 with Salt library
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec SCANNER 107 stars
by rossengeorgiev · remote
https://github.com/rossengeorgiev/salt-security-backports

This repository provides a Python script to check if a SaltStack master is vulnerable to CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652. It includes patches for unsupported Salt versions and a scanner to verify vulnerability status.

Classification
Scanner 95%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt (versions before 2019.2.4 and 3000.2)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the Salt master · Python environment with SaltStack libraries
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 107 stars
by dozernz · poc
https://github.com/dozernz/cve-2020-11651

This PoC exploits CVE-2020-11651, an authentication bypass vulnerability in SaltStack, to achieve pre-auth RCE on the master node and/or associated minions. It retrieves the root key and executes arbitrary commands via the SaltStack transport mechanism.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack (versions prior to 2019.2.4, 3000.2)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the SaltStack master · SaltStack master running a vulnerable version
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 40 stars
by 0xc0d · remote
https://github.com/0xc0d/CVE-2020-11651

This PoC exploits CVE-2020-11651, an authentication bypass in SaltStack Salt's ClearFuncs class, allowing unauthenticated remote command execution on the salt-master and minions. It includes functionality to fetch the root key, execute commands, and transfer files.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt before 2019.2.4 and 3000 before 3000.2
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the SaltStack master on port 4506
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 24 stars
by ssrsec · remote
https://github.com/ssrsec/CVE-2020-11651-CVE-2020-11652-EXP

This is a functional exploit for CVE-2020-11651, an authentication bypass vulnerability in SaltStack. It allows unauthenticated access to the Salt master's root key and subsequent remote command execution or file reading.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt < 2019.2.4, < 3000.2
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to Salt master (default port 4506) · Vulnerable Salt version
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec SCANNER 6 stars
by chef-cft · poc
https://github.com/chef-cft/salt-vulnerabilities

This repository contains a compliance profile to check for vulnerable versions of SaltStack affected by CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652. It verifies package versions and command-line output to ensure systems are patched or not installed.

Classification
Scanner 100%
Attack Type
Info Leak
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack (salt-api, salt-cloud, salt-master, salt-minion, salt-ssh, salt-syndic, salt)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to the target system to run package checks or the `salt --version` command
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 6 stars
by kevthehermit · infoleak
https://github.com/kevthehermit/CVE-2020-11651

This PoC exploits CVE-2020-11651, an authentication bypass vulnerability in SaltStack Salt, allowing unauthenticated remote command execution, file reads, and writes on the Salt Master. It uses ZeroMQ and MessagePack to craft malicious payloads targeting the Salt Master's publish interface.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Rce | Auth Bypass
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt (versions before 2019.2.4 and 3000.2)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the Salt Master's ZeroMQ interface (default port 4506) · Python 3.8 with pyzmq and msgpack libraries
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 5 stars
by lovelyjuice · poc
https://github.com/lovelyjuice/cve-2020-11651-exp-plus

This repository contains a Python-based exploit for CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652, targeting SaltStack's authentication bypass and directory traversal vulnerabilities. It includes functionality for remote command execution, file read/write operations, and a reverse shell payload.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce | Auth Bypass | Info Leak
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt (versions < 2019.2.4, < 3000.2)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to SaltStack master (default port 4506) · Python environment with SaltStack libraries installed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 5 stars
by bravery9 · remote
https://github.com/bravery9/SaltStack-Exp

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652, targeting SaltStack's authentication bypass and directory traversal vulnerabilities. It includes features for remote command execution, file read/write, and reverse shell establishment.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt < 2019.2.4 and < 3000.2
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to SaltStack master · SaltStack master running a vulnerable version
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 1 stars
by Drew-Alleman · remote
https://github.com/Drew-Alleman/CVE-2020-11651

This is a functional exploit for CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652, targeting SaltStack's authentication bypass and remote code execution vulnerabilities. It allows adding a new user or replacing the root user by modifying /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow files.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack < 3000.2, < 2019.2.4, 2017.*, 2018.*
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to SaltStack master server · SaltStack master server running a vulnerable version
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec SCANNER 1 stars
by appcheck-ng · remote
https://github.com/appcheck-ng/salt-rce-scanner-CVE-2020-11651-CVE-2020-11652

This repository contains a scanning tool for detecting SaltStack vulnerabilities CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652, which allow unauthenticated remote code execution and token disclosure. The tool includes methods for token disclosure and out-of-band DNS-based command injection detection.

Classification
Scanner 90%
Attack Type
Rce | Info Leak
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack (versions affected by CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the SaltStack master's request server port (default 4506) · Python 2.7 or 3.x with required dependencies
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by hardsoftsecurity · remote
https://github.com/hardsoftsecurity/CVE-2020-11651-PoC

This is a functional exploit for CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652, targeting SaltStack's authentication bypass and remote code execution vulnerabilities. It includes methods to check for vulnerabilities, read/write files, and execute commands on the target system.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack < 3000.2, < 2019.2.4, 2017.*, 2018.*
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the SaltStack master · SaltStack master running a vulnerable version
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by RakhithJK · remote
https://github.com/RakhithJK/CVE-2020-11651

This is a functional exploit for CVE-2020-11651, targeting SaltStack's authentication bypass and arbitrary command execution vulnerabilities. It includes capabilities to retrieve the root key, execute commands on minions, and read/write files on the master.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Rce | Auth Bypass
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt (versions before 2019.2.4 and 3000.2)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to SaltStack master (default port 4506) · Python 3.8 with pyzmq and msgpack libraries
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC
by F-Secure, wvu · rubypoc
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/auxiliary/gather/saltstack_salt_root_key.rb

This Metasploit module exploits an unauthenticated access vulnerability in SaltStack Salt master's ZeroMQ request server to disclose the root key used for authenticating administrative commands. It leverages the _prep_auth_info() method to extract the root key from serialized authentication data.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Info Leak
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt Master Server versions 2019.2.3 and earlier, 3000.1 and earlier
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the SaltStack master server on port 4506
devstral-2 · analyzed Apr 16, 2026 Full analysis →
vulncheck_xdb WORKING POC
remote
https://github.com/limon768/CVE-2020-11652-POC

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652, targeting SaltStack's authentication bypass and arbitrary file read/write vulnerabilities. The PoC includes methods for remote code execution, file operations, and shell acquisition.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack (versions < 2019.2.4 and 3000 < 3000.2)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to SaltStack master · SaltStack master running vulnerable version
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 25, 2026 Full analysis →
vulncheck_xdb WORKING POC
remote
https://github.com/fanjq99/CVE-2020-11652

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2020-11652, targeting SaltStack's authentication bypass and directory traversal vulnerability. The Go-based PoC interacts with the SaltStack master's ZeroMQ interface to extract the root key and read arbitrary files (e.g., /etc/passwd).

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SaltStack Salt (versions before 3000.2, 2019.2.4, 2016.11.10)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: network access to SaltStack master's ZeroMQ port (default 4506)
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 25, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC
remotemultiple
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/48421

This exploit demonstrates an authentication bypass and remote code execution vulnerability in Saltstack versions prior to 3000.2, 2019.2.4, and 2017/2018 releases. It leverages CVE-2020-11651 and CVE-2020-11652 to read files, write files, and execute commands on the target system.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Saltstack < 3000.2, < 2019.2.4, 2017.*, 2018.*
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the Saltstack master · Saltstack master running a vulnerable version
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →

References (12)

Core 12
Core References
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_suse
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-04/msg00047.html
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry x_refsource_misc
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157560/Saltstack-3000.1-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_debian
https://www.debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4676
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_confirm
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2020-0009.html
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/05/msg00027.html
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_suse
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-07/msg00070.html
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4459-1/

Scores

CVSS v3 9.8
EPSS 0.9423
EPSS Percentile 99.9%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation active
Automatable yes
Technical Impact total

Details

CISA KEV 2021-11-03
VulnCheck KEV 2020-07-22
InTheWild.io 2021-07-23
ENISA EUVD EUVD-2020-0171
Status published
Products (10)
canonical/ubuntu_linux 16.04
canonical/ubuntu_linux 18.04
debian/debian_linux 8.0
debian/debian_linux 9.0
debian/debian_linux 10.0
opensuse/leap 15.1
pypi/salt 0 - 2019.2.4PyPI
saltstack/salt < 2019.2.4
vmware/application_remote_collector 7.5.0
vmware/application_remote_collector 8.0.0
Published Apr 30, 2020
KEV Added Nov 03, 2021
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026