CVE-2020-16846
CVE-2020-16846 is a security flaw in SaltStack Salt. Attackers are using a flaw in SaltStack Salt. 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]
SaltStack Salt 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. SaltStack has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it a shell injection in SaltStack Salt. In its words: “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.”[1]
The underlying weakness is OS command injection (CWE-78), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]
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; SaltStack’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as SaltStack Salt.
Most families won’t have SaltStack Salt; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Nov 2021, 362 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
SaltStack has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.SaltStack Salt 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 SaltStack Salt flaws
- CVE-2020-11652: path traversal ·
- CVE-2020-11651: authentication bypass ·
Other OS command injection flaws
- CVE-2026-110447, Collabora Online – Built-in CODE Server: online – built-in CODE server OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-106931, EG Secure Solutions SiteGuard Server Edition: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-83549, SonicWall SMA1000 Appliances: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-49869, Kestra OSS: OSS OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-73570, Synacor Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS): OS command injection ·
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 SaltStack flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in November 2021
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “SaltStack Salt Shell Injection Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Nov 2021.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2020-16846 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 6 Nov 2020.
- ^ SaltStack. Advisories and fixes: lists.fedoraproject.org.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.996, percentile 99.9, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2020-16846”. 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.