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CVE-2020-17519

Apache Flink directory traversal attack: reading remote files through the REST API

HIGH
7.5
CVSS Score
Published: January 5, 2021 at 11:40 AM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 02:59 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorFlink

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Severity
HIGH7.5
Exploitation
CISA KEV
Exploit prediction
EPSS 98%
SSVC
Active

Actively Exploited

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog

EPSS Score97.8%

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) estimates a 97.8% chance this CVE is exploited in the wild within the next 30 days — higher than 100% of all CVEs. It complements CVSS: a high EPSS on a mid-severity CVE can still be urgent.

Apache Flink contains an improper access control vulnerability that allows an attacker to read any file on the local filesystem of the JobManager through its REST interface.

Required Action
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Ransomware Use
Unknown
Added to KEV
May 23, 2024
Remediation Due
Jun 13, 2024
865 days overdue
Notes
This vulnerability affects a common open-source component, third-party library, or a protocol used by different products. Please check with specific vendors for information on patching status. For more information, please see: https://lists.apache.org/thread/typ0h03zyfrzjqlnb7plh64df1g2383d
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-17519

Description

A change introduced in Apache Flink 1.11.0 (and released in 1.11.1 and 1.11.2 as well) allows attackers to read any file on the local filesystem of the JobManager through the REST interface of the JobManager process. Access is restricted to files accessible by the JobManager process. All users should upgrade to Flink 1.11.3 or 1.12.0 if their Flink instance(s) are exposed. The issue was fixed in commit b561010b0ee741543c3953306037f00d7a9f0801 from apache/flink:master.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Flink· Apache
95%
v ≤ 1.11.21.11.0 ≤ v ≤ 1.11.21.11.0
Affected range stops below 1.11.3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

References (17)

x_refsource_MISCExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
Source: [email protected]
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/160849/Apache-Flink-1.11.0-Arbitrary-File-Read-Directory-Traversal.html
Mailing Listx_refsource_MLISTThird Party Advisory
Source: [email protected]
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/01/05/2
Mailing Listx_refsource_MLIST
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r0a433be10676f4fe97ca423d08f914e0ead341c901216f292d2bbe83%40%3Cissues.flink.apache.org%3E
Mailing Listx_refsource_MLIST
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r1125f3044a0946d1e7e6f125a6170b58d413ebd4a95157e4608041c7%40%3Cannounce.apache.org%3E
Mailing Listx_refsource_MLISTIssue Tracking
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r229167538863518738e02f4c1c5a8bb34c1d45dadcc97adf6676b0c1%40%3Cdev.flink.apache.org%3E
x_refsource_MISCIssue Tracking
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r26fcdd4fe288323006253437ebc4dd6fdfadfb5e93465a0e4f68420d%40%3Cuser-zh.flink.apache.org%3E
Mailing Listx_refsource_MLISTIssue Tracking
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r28f17e564950d663e68cc6fe75756012dda62ac623766bb9bc5e7034%40%3Cissues.flink.apache.org%3E
Mailing Listx_refsource_MLISTIssue Tracking
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r2fc60b30557e4a537c2a6293023049bd1c49fd92b518309aa85a0398%40%3Cissues.flink.apache.org%3E

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCActiveAutomatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7.5HIGH[email protected]
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
NONE
Availability
NONE
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-552

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