CVE-2020-10189
CVE-2020-10189 is a security flaw in Zoho ManageEngine, Zoho’s IT management software. Attackers can run their own code on Zoho ManageEngine from anywhere, without logging in. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 3 Nov 2021.[1]
Zoho ManageEngine is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Zoho has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it a desktop central file upload in Zoho ManageEngine. In its words: “Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central contains a file upload vulnerability that allows for unauthenticated remote code execution.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central before 10.0.474 allows remote code execution because of deserialization of untrusted data in getChartImage in the FileStorage class. This is related to the CewolfServlet and MDMLogUploaderServlet servlets.”[2]
The underlying weakness is deserialization of untrusted data (CWE-502), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Zoho’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Zoho ManageEngine.
Most families won’t have Zoho ManageEngine; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Nov 2021, 607 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at over 99%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Zoho has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Zoho ManageEngine is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at over 99%.[4] |
See also
Other Zoho ManageEngine flaws
- CVE-2022-28810: aDSelfService plus remote code execution ·
- CVE-2022-47966: multiple products remote code execution ·
- CVE-2022-35405: multiple products remote code execution ·
- CVE-2021-40539: aDSelfService plus authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2019-8394: serviceDesk plus (SDP) file upload ·
Other Zoho flaws
- CVE-2021-44515, Zoho Desktop Central: authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2021-44077, Zoho ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus (SDP) / SupportCenter Plus: manageEngine serviceDesk plus remote code execution ·
- CVE-2021-37415, Zoho ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus (SDP): manageEngine serviceDesk authentication bypass ·
Other deserialization of untrusted data flaws
- CVE-2021-23758, Ajax.NET Professional: deserialization of untrusted data ·
- CVE-2026-63077, JetBrains TeamCity: deserialization of untrusted data ·
- CVE-2026-50522, Microsoft SharePoint: deserialization of untrusted data ·
- CVE-2026-58644, Microsoft SharePoint: deserialization of untrusted data ·
- CVE-2026-45659, Microsoft SharePoint Server: deserialization of untrusted data ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2021-42258, BQE BillQuick Web Suite: SQL injection ·
- CVE-2021-42013, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-41773, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2021-40539, Zoho ManageEngine: aDSelfService plus authentication bypass ·
- CVE-2021-40444, Microsoft MSHTML: remote code execution ·
Every Zoho flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in November 2021
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central File Upload Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Nov 2021.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2020-10189 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 6 Mar 2020.
- ^ Zoho. Advisories and fixes: manageengine.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.999, percentile 100.0, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2020-10189”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.