Detections
Analytics

Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2020-9488

low Nessus Plugin ID 223593

Language:

Synopsis

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be patched.

Description

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied patch available.

 - Improper validation of certificate with host mismatch in Apache Log4j SMTP appender. This could allow an SMTPS connection to be intercepted by a man-in-the-middle attack which could leak any log messages sent through that appender. Fixed in Apache Log4j 2.12.3 and 2.13.1 (CVE-2020-9488)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.

Solution

There is no known solution at this time.

See Also

https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2020-9488

https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-9488

Plugin Details

Severity: Low

ID: 223593

File Name: unpatched_CVE_2020_9488.nasl

Version: 1.5

Type: local

Agent: unix

Family: Misc.

Published: 3/4/2025

Updated: 9/10/2025

Supported Sensors: Agentless Assessment, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Frictionless Assessment AWS, Frictionless Assessment Azure, Nessus Agent, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Low

Score: 2.2

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 4.3

Temporal Score: 3.2

Vector: CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2020-9488

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: Low

Base Score: 3.7

Temporal Score: 3.2

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:log4j-manual, cpe:/o:centos:centos:7, p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:log4j12, p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:log4j-javadoc, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7, p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:apache-log4j2, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts, p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:log4j-manual, p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:log4j-javadoc, p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:log4j12-javadoc, cpe:/o:centos:centos:8, p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:log4j, p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:log4j12, p-cpe:/a:centos:centos:log4j12-javadoc, cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8, p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:log4j

Required KB Items: Host/OS/identifier, Host/cpu, Host/local_checks_enabled, global_settings/vendor_unpatched

Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available

Vulnerability Publication Date: 4/27/2020

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2020-9488